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| The He 219 had an auspicious combat debut. On the night of 11–12 June 1943, Werner Streib flew the V9 and shot down five bombers between 01:05 and 02:22 hours, before crashing on landing. Claims have been made that, "In the next ten days the three Heinkel He 219A-0 pre-production aircraft [shot] down a total of 20 RAF aircraft, including six of the previously "untouchable" de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers. Greatly encouraged, Kammhuber continued to press for immediate production."[15] No record of corresponding Mosquito losses or any documentary evidence exists that He 219 pilots claimed six Mosquitos The first major production series was the He 219 A-0, although initially the pre-production series, it matured into a long running production series, due to numerous changes incorporated into the design, along with the cancellation of several planned variants. Production problems as a result of Allied bombing in March meant the A-0 did not reach Luftwaffe units until October 1943. The A-0 was usually armed with two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon in the wing roots and up to four 20 mm or 30 mm cannon in a ventral weapons bay. The first 10–15 aircraft were delivered with the 490 MHz UHF-band FuG 212 "Lichtenstein" C-1 radar with a 4 × 8-dipole element Matratze antenna array. 104 He 219 A-0s were built until the summer of 1944, the majority of them at EHW (Ernst Heinkel Wien) or Heinkel-Süd in Wien-Schwechat. The first planned version to reach production was the He 219 A-2 model, which had longer engine nacelles containing extra fuel tanks, unitized 1670 PS DB 603AA engines with higher critical altitude and often also two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon, as an offensive Schräge Musik upward-firing system in the rear fuselage. With Schräge Musik, the ventral weapons bay held two cannon due to space limitations.[21] The A-2 featured an updated, 90 MHz VHF-band Telefunken FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar system, complete with its larger, high-drag 4 × 2-dipole element Hirschgeweih aerials. It initially had a longer minimum range than the C-1 radar, but had improved accuracy and resolution and was also less vulnerable to chaff jamming, through the late summer of 1944. A total of 85 He 219 A-2s were built until November 1944, most at EHR (Ernst Heinkel Rostock) or Heinkel-Nord in Rostock-Marienehe (now Rostock-Schmarl). The He 219 was a capable fighter aircraft and the pilots were free to hunt down any detected Allied bombers. Ground control sent the aircraft into the right area, where the pilots took over and guided themselves towards the bombers with the Lichtenstein VHF radar's information. The SN-2 radar's 4 km (3 mi) maximum detection range was greater than the distance between the bombers. While the performance of the A-2 was not extraordinary—approximately 580 km/h (360 mph) speed—it was enough of an advance over the Messerschmitt Bf 110Gs and Dornier Do 217Ns, for the crew to chase several bombers in a single sortie On the night of 11--12 June 1943, Werner Streib flew the The He 219 V9 and shot down five bombers.In the next 10 days the three Heinkel He 219A-0 pre-production aircraft would shoot down a total of 20 RAF aircraft, including six of the previously "untouchable" de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers. To improve its ability to intercept the Mosquito, the He 219 had excess weight removed. With some weapon and radio systems deleted, the aircraft was able to attain a speed of 650 km/h (400 mph). This version was given the designation A-6. None of these were produced, but similar weight saving measures could be done at the unit level. The last major production version was the A-7 with improved, unitized DB 603E engines. The A-7 typically had two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon in the wing roots (inboard of the propeller arcs), two 20 mm MG 151/20 in the ventral weapons bay and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108s as Schräge Musik. Production of 210 aircraft was to start November/December 1944, but the number produced is not known as original documents have been lost or contained no sub-version number. |
| He219 Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Art |
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| Top Aces for : He219 | ||
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name. | ||
| Name | Victories | Info |
| Otto Fries | 18.00 | The signature of Otto Fries features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Signatures for : He219 | |||||||
| A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | |||||||
| Name | Info | ||||||
  Leutnant Otto Fries Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by or with the mounted signature of Leutnant Otto Fries
| Leutnant Otto Fries Otto Fries was posted to NJG I nightfighter unit in January 1942 as a Gefreiter. He served with them on the Western Front right through until the end of the war, flying continuously against RAF Bomber Command. He was commissioned Leutnant in August 1943. In July 1944 Otto was flying Me110s of II.Gruppe based in St. Trond, St. Dizier and then Arnheim. He later joined I.Gruppe before transferring to Münster-Hansdorf flying the Heinkel 219 Owl. He is one of the last surviving He219 pilots. Shot down four times, on the second of which he escaped by catapult ejection seat out of the He219 during night operations for home defence - it is thought had been shot down by night fighter Mosquito R of 85 Sqd flown by F/Lt Vaughan and F/Sgt R D McKinnon. The right hand engine of his He219 suddenly exploded into flames. With the loss of most of the control of the aircraft he jettisoned the aircrafts canopy, his wireless operator Feldwebel Alfred Staffa baled out and was severley wounded on landing with his parachute. Lt Otto Fries could not regain sufficient control of the He219 which was now burning so he ejected. He landed unhurt by means of his parachute. The He219 crashed about 3 kilometres south of Hertogenbosch and was destroyed. This was only the third such ejection in combat in the world. Otto scored 18 air victories by the end of the war.
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  Gefreiter Kar-Heinz Schoenemann Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Gefreiter Kar-Heinz Schoenemann | Gefreiter Kar-Heinz Schoenemann Karl-Heinz Schoenemann joined the Luftwaffe in 1942, straight out of college. His aptitude led him to be chosen for training as a wireless operator and airborne radar specialist. After training on various types, including the Junkers Ju86 and Heinkel He219, he eventually became operational as the electronics operator aboard the Messerschmitt 110G. Posted to join NJGI, he served on Me110s until late 1944 when his aircraft crash-landed near the town of Sedan in northern France, where he was captured by the Americans. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW. | ||||||
  Oberfeldwebel Alfred Staffa Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Oberfeldwebel Alfred Staffa | Oberfeldwebel Alfred Staffa Born in the Czech Republic, Alfred Staffa qualified as a Luftwaffe radio-operator in November 1941. In January 1942 he was posted to II. Gruppe, NJG I as radio-operator to Otto Fries flying the Me110. On 28 August, 1942, they were shot down in flames by the rear-gunner of an RAF Stirling bomber, and again shot down in May 1944. In June 1944 he joined 6./NJG 1, and later l./NJG 1. flying in the Heinkel 219. He also survived an ejector seat escape out of this burning aircraft. Alfred Staffa flew 102 night missions, 5 day missions and shared 18 air victories. | ||||||
| Squadrons for : He219 | ||
| A list of all squadrons from known to have used this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
Country : Germany Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of NJG1 | NJG1 Full profile not yet available. | |
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