Heinkel He 111H-3 of II./KG 1, Luftwaffe, Montdidier, France, Battle of Britain, 1940

Corgi Aviation 1/72 scale AA33701: Heinkel He 111H-3 of II./KG 1, Luftwaffe, Montdidier, France, Battle of Britain, 1940. Non limited edition.

Length 9 inches Wingspan 12.25 inches

By the beginning of the Battle of Britain the He 111H had almost entirely replaced the He 111P series and was being deployed to most of the French airbases where the German assault on the skies of England were to begin. One of the most notable Battle of Britain raids that the Gruppe made involving this He 111 was on 9th September, when the fleet of 26 He 111 aircraft, escorted by 20 Bf 110’s of III./ZG 76 and 60 Bf 109’s of JG 3, was briefed to attack the R.A.E at Farnborough. This raid was routed south of London on a westerly course and therefore had to run the gauntlet of fighter squadrons from Biggin Hill, Kenley, Croydon and Northolt.

Designed in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the Heinkel He 111 first flew on February 24, 1935. Masquerading as a transport aircraft, the He 111 was actually a fast medium bomber that went on to become the most prolific Luftwaffe bomber used during the early part of WWII. During its early service career, the He 111 had the distinction of being one of the fastest aircraft in the world, with speeds exceeding 250 mph. It was also versatile, serving as a medium bomber, strategic bomber and as a torpedo bomber. By late 1944 the Luftwaffe halted bomber production, and the He 111 became a transport aircraft.