Nederlandse Modelbouw en Luchtvaartsite

Dutch Modelling and Aviation

In Memoriam

Klaas Willem Jonker
(Wilko)
† April 30, 2018

On Monday 30 April 2018, Wilko Jonker died after a long illness at the age of 58. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The Dutch military aviation and plastic modeling were his hobby and on this website he shared all the knowledge he has collected over the years. His hobby has been able to distract him from the persistent disease in his body until the last week of his life. The contacts with other hobbyists were a major support for him.

This website will be maintained by different people for as long as possible, so that other enthusiasts can continue to benefit from extensive content.

Hansa-Brandenburg W.29

History

The Hansa-Brandenburg W-29 was designed by the end of 1917 by Ernst Heinkel as successor of the successful Hansa-Brandenburg W-12.
The German navy demanded a faster aircraft with more fire power to resist the Felixstowe flying boats. The W.29 was a two seat monoplane.
The first production series of six aircraft, numbers 2201 - 2206, was ordered in December 1917. Delivery was in spring 1918.
These six aircraft were equipped with a Benz Bz.lIIb. engine rated 185-195 hp. Remarkable were the six exhausts, pointing upwards at port side of the plane. Also the engine cowling had air intakes.

July 4 the first fight between four W.29s and three Felixstowes occurred. All Felixstowes were shot down and there were no Germans losses.
The W-29 was armed with two fixed forward firing, synchronized Spandau machine guns plus one movable Parabellum machine gun for the observer.
The fuselage resembled its precedent the Hansa-Brandenburg W.12. Also the floats were almost the same. The wing was of a wooden construction covered with doped linen.
The type was very successful and in may 1918 new orders were received, serials 2287- 2300, 2502 - 2536 and 2564 - 2583. These had a (standard Benz Bz III rated 150 hp. The last series of four, 2584 - 2589, was, just like the first series equipped with a Benz B.IIIa rated 185 hp.

The Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 was a so called C-class aircraft.
This C class consisted of two seat aircraft with movable machine guns.
The first series were of model W.29 C3MG.

  • MG means extra machine guns.
  • FT means wireless transmitter.
  • HFT means the type is equipped with a wireless send and receive installation.

So model C2MGHFT is an aircraft with one fixed machine guns; one moveable machine gun and a wireless send and receive installation.
The production series of the W.29 were divided as follows:

Serial Type Engine Order date
2201 - 2206 C3MG Benz Bz. IIIa á 185 hp December 1917
2287 - 2300 C2MGHFT Benz Bz. III á 150 hp April 1918
2501 - 2506 C2MGHFT Benz Bz. III á 150  hp April 1918
2507 - 2536 C3MG Benz Bz. III á 150 hp April 1918
2564 - 2583 C2MGHFT Benz Bz. III á 150 hp Mei 1918
2584 - 2587 C3MG Benz Bz. IIIa/IIb á 185 hp Juni 1918
2588 - 2589 C2MGHFT Benz Bz. IIIa/IIIb á 185 hp Juni 1918

April 1918 the Hansa-Brandenburg W.33 was ordered to succeed the W.29. This larger aircraft was equipped with one Mercedes rated 260 hp and had a wingspan of 15,85 m. Serials 2538 - 2563 were ordered. The first aircraft had two fixed forward firing machine guns and a Maybach engine rated 260 hp. One had one fixed machine gun and a movable 20 mm necker gun for the observer.

Later the larger W.34 with a Fiat engine rated 300 hp was developed, but this was to late to join the war.

 

Technical information
Dimensions:
Length: 9,35 m Wingspan: 13,5 m
Height: 3,1 m Wing area: - m2
Weights:
Empty weight: 1000 kg Max. start weight: -  kg
Performances:
Max. speed: 150 km/hr Climbing speed: - m/min
Cruising speed: - km/hr    
Range: - km Service ceiling: - m
Miscellaneous:
Engine type: One Mercedes D-IIIa rated 180 hp
Crew: One aviator plus one observer /air gunner
Armament: One or two fixed, forward firing 7,9 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns; one movable 7,9 mm Parabellum MG 14 machine gun for the observer.