Heinkel He 59

The Heinkel He 59 was a twin-engined German biplane designed in 1930 to meet a requirement for a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that could operate on wheeled landing gear or twin floats. Ernst Heinkel began work in 1930 for the Reichsmarine, and to hide its military purpose the aircraft was officially a civil type. The He 59B landplane prototype flew first, in September 1931, but it was the He 59A floatplane prototype that led to the He 59B initial production model, of which 142 were delivered in three variants. Pilots found it pleasant to fly, though weak engines, limited range, small load capacity and insufficient armament were noted as deficiencies.