Hs 123 - The Biplane Germany Couldn't Retire

The Henschel Hs 123 was a ground-attack biplane that was designed as an interim solution while a more modern aircraft was being developed. Despite being earmarked for retirement even before World War II, it defied time and saw front-line action almost until the end of the war.
Game footage and aircraft models
War Thunder - / warthunder .
00:04 History
09:31 Opinion and Conclusion
Disclaimer - This channel is apolitical. We do not endorse any kind of political view.
Corrections
None
Music
by order of appearance
History:
- Beautiful Oblivion by Scott Buckley ssoundcloud.comscottbuckley
Music promoted by httpswww.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
screativecommons.orglicensesby4.0
Conclusion:
Song:
Faust Overture
Artist:
Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Ali Rahbari
Album:
Mythos Wagner
Licensed to KZbin by:
Naxos Digital Services US, Inc (on behalf of Naxos); LatinAutor - UMPG, LatinAutorPerf, UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA - UBEM, UMPG Publishing, and 4 Music Rights Societies
Sources
- Flugzeug Profile 42 - Henschel Hs 123 by Rudolf Höfling
- Aviation Elite Units - Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen by John Weal
- Lufwaffe Colours - Schlachtflieger - Luftwaffe Ground-Attack Units 1937-1945 by Richard Smith, Chris Goss, Martin Pegg, Andrew Arthy, Nick Beale and Robert Forsyth
- La Maquina Y La Historia - Perfiles Aeronauticos 2 - Henschel Hs 123 by Luca Molina Franco
- German Bomber Aircraft by Thomas Newdick
- Warplanes of the Luftwaffe by David Donald
- Black Cross Red Star 1-5 by Christer Bergström
- Several other sources like aircraft manuals and tests
I do not own any of the images used in this video. The owners of such images are identified in the video itself.

[@briancisco1176]

WWII began with bi-planes and ended with jets. Amazing!

[@loveofmangos001]

Jets flew in 1939 and 1941...

[@blackopscw7913]

@@loveofmangos001 None of them were anything but prototypes.

[@Alte.Kameraden]

Began with tiny 10-16 Ton Tanks up to 30-60 Ton tanks by the end as well.

[@slowery43]

ahhhh no.... Japan attacked the US with Zero's, Kates, and other monoplanes. Germany had Stuka's, ME-109's, the US had lots of P-40 Warhawks to start no clue where you get your info

[@jayg1438]

The pace of technology from the interwar years and through WWII is mind boggling.

[@theswampangel3635]

Excellent research and presentation! I’ve often wondered why HS 123 lasted so long. Your comparison with the swordfish is right on target.

[@uingaeoc3905]

The Swordfish later variants used in northern France in 1944 had Radar and Rockets, plain weird!

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

Interesting history, thanks for the video and commentary! It blew my mind reading his book, that Galland started out as a dive bomber pilot flying bi-planes in Spain and Poland! Gallad started the war with bi-planes and ended it on the last day with jets.

[@verysilentmouse]

Galland did a dodgy, one of many dodgies in his career after figuring out that open air cockpits sucked got a doctors note saying he was too delicate for open air cockpits. He had already dodged out of being an elite (bombers) by failing multi engine conversion course so he had to by default go to fighters... which is what he wanted in the first place.

[@garynew9637]

First and the last. Book by galland

[@williamromine5715]

Can you imagine flying this plane in the winter, in Russia, with an open cockpit? I wonder how many pilots got frost bite?

[@deffington6627]

considering pilots had good clothes and warm machine parts in front of them, probably it wasn't too bad. At least compared to folks who froze in trenches

[@thethirdman225]

Soviet pilots did the same thing flying their Ratas.

[@jameslooker4791]

The primary virtues of the Hs-123 were difficult to utilize because production ended so soon. Being simple to build and maintain. Being able to provide air cover in the coldest weather. Being able to operate from air fields close to the frontlines. None could be utilized more than marginally because so few were built.

[@EneTheGene]

Very cool video. Never heard of the 123s especially good reliability before.

[@stephenrose1343]

I love biplanes and the He 123 is a great example of the last of its type. Thank you for this very good presentation.

[@barkebaat]

1:47 - Hugo Sperrle ... such a friendly looking guy! "Is that a dueling scar, Commander ?"

[@sabrekai8706]

Excellent video. I have always had a soft spot for the 123. I wasn't aware of its operational history, learned something new.

[@petrikchamula1670]

same

[@RichardFreeberg]

As usual another well researched presentation with lots of interesting information! Thanks!

[@carlnewman7096]

A great little & very informative programme. Will be watching more & subscribing for sure.

[@joaopedrovalerio9673]

Again, excellent video about one of my favorites.Loved the swordfish comparison and the Jäbo connection with the fw190 Regards, Keep up

[@PeteSampson-qu7qb]

Another excellent presentation, sir. I commend you. The 123 teaches us some lessons. Keep high performance fighters away from your ground attack planes, stats don't always equate to effectiveness, if speed isnt top priority biplanes did OK by themselves in WWII, and dependable planes with experienced pilots can eventually find a use regardless of performance. The first point has a caveat. Other than being surprised i would be willing to bet the 123 was actually more survivable than the Stuka or Il-2. It, like the Swordfish, was highly maneuverable and well behaved and, lets face it, none of these planes is outrunning anyone so you might as well take your chances trying to make the fighter pilot make a fatal mistake. It happened a lot and to some of the greatest aces ever. I also just have a hunch that, if the 123 was a little bigger and had a rear gunner with power to carry him, it would have outlasted the Ju-87 much like the Swordfish outlasted the Albacore but we'll never know. Cheers!

[@yeska62]

As usual a great video! Thank you!

[@verysilentmouse]

I found this channel through this vid and immediately subscribed. This information is going to be great for my novels eventually.

[@RustyMustang45]

Your videos are brilliant. I subscribed halfway through this video an instanstly searched for more. Truly great content I guarentee this channel will grow at a rapid rate. Best of luck to you from Ireland

[@BrockvsTV]

Thank you. I love the hs 123. Reminds me of the sky raider. Wonderful video

[@JC-tx5tu]

Awesome video, happy to have discovered your channel!

[@haroldgodwinson832]

Very informative as usual. Thanks.

[@richarddumont5389]

Another great episode thank you!

[@williamallen63]

One of my favorite aircraft along with the FW-189.

[@mikeclendenin6407]

You have the most researched show i have seen on u tube. Please keep going

[@NV..V]

Another great video. Ty!

[@themajesticmagnificent386]

Thank you for your great video on the HS.123..The 123 was a surprisingly effective aircraft that went against the normal and achieved beyond.!

[@Alte.Kameraden]

Oh, I have a favorite one, and you spoke of it with much kindness.

[@charlessaggio8412]

Thank you. Luv your channel.

[@RemusKingOfRome]

Excellent video, i never knew how useful the 123 was.

[@JudgeVandelay]

Another excellent video. And yes, please cover the Hs 129.

[@franksgattolin8904]

Love the Fiat CR-32 & 42. Hawker Fury, Fairy Flycatcher (!!!) and the Grumman F3F series. Thanks!

[@simonpotter7534]

Favorite WWII biplane, the Gloster Gladiator a much underrated and forgotten fighter. After that the Fiat CR42 Falco another forgotten fighter.

[@glenngroves2315]

Thank you, vey informative

[@McRocket]

What a rugged/handsome-looking biplane. Thank you for this video. ☮

[@christopherbentley7289]

Thanks for this detailed look at one of the more unlikely success stories in WWII aviation. I often think that the Hs 123, had it been produced in larger numbers, could have been the ground attack equivalent of the Fokker D.XXI - that you have previously covered - for the Finns, variously in the Winter and Continuation Wars, as a superficially obsolete type with a fixed undercarriage.

[@LessAiredvanU]

As a Brit, I should say that the best WWII biplane was the Gloster Gladiator... but it wasn't, because the Fiat CR.42 was. Neither was a match for the monoplanes that came into production just a few short years after, but they were the best of the last biplanes.

[@thethirdman225]

They were fighters. This was a Close Air Support aircraft. It just looks similar.

[@Redgolf2]

The pic of the He-111’s at 5:10 are the first variant pre glass house nose variant

[@MrNaKillshots]

Excellent channel.

[@joeshmoe9978]

Lots of great photos 📷👍

[@frankgoldstein5355]

The 123 calls also Obergefreiter by the german infantry. I love this simple moth....

[@A.G.798]

Obergefreiter = Privat first Class!

[@patwilson2546]

Americans and British also never had large numbers of dedicated ground attack aircraft. They used the P-38, P-47, Hurricane II, Typhoon and Tempest. The 190 was an excellent ground attack plane.

[@andrewluchsinger]

Revell made a very excellent model of the HS 123. I own two. One I built the other is going to stay in the box... For now at least.

[@totofromoz5412]

Your good at colourising. Keep it up!

[@FireDragon16180]

good video, thank you 👍

[@maxpayne2574]

The importance of phycological warfare is underestimated. The 123 rattling was probably thought to be a massive number of mgs on the attackers. Imagine the stories from solders saying they had seen the attacker had at least 10 mgs. The scary noise of the Stuka diving was due to an air driven siren. That noise is still the sound put in movies for planes in a power dive.

[@paulflocken2730]

Wonderful video.

[@tuzonthume]

By the middle of 1943 the allies had air superiority throughout Europe. Barbarossa needed Re-up expediency to pull off but the Luftwaffe lost it's cargo capability in the Mediterranean.

[@WildBillCox13]

Nice work.

[@MrGadfly772]

The Herschel 123 is of course one of my favorites as is the famous Gloster Gladiator .

[@damienmaynard8892]

The father of the Stuka - served until there were none left. On time, on target - what grunts want and need!

[@antonfarquar8799]

We had planes in Afghanistan specifically the EMB 314 Super Tucano which were no doubt inspired by this plane , the fact that these soldiered on clear into 1944 is a testament to their ruggedness and more importantly their simplicity of design. With a few upgrades we could have used these in today's close support roles. Excellent video Thank You !!

[@FirstDagger]

Nonsense, the EMB 314 / A-29 Super Tucano is an evolution of the British Short Tucano basic trainer and was built by Brazil as a COIN platform. COIN from Cuban over Vietnam to Iraq saw countless improvements, look up the OV-10 Bronco and the development of targeting pods with the Martin B-57G Tropic Moon III. Neither the A-10 nor the Super Tucano are inspired by anything German, and to claim so is sheer misguided Wehraboo nostalgia and Reformer historical revisionism. Greetings from Germany.

[@antonfarquar8799]

@@FirstDagger you are correct - there were no ground attack variants in service in the Luftwaffe during WW2 certainly not the HS123 , hello from Anhalt , Bernburg. BTW boy genius the builders of the A-10 hired Hans Ulrich Rudel as a consultant. Get off your self righteous virtue signalling pompous ass - don't always assume that you can bluff your way past the ignorance of you audience. Who is Bazil?

[@FirstDagger]

@@antonfarquar8799 ; "BTW boy genius the builders of the A-10 hired Hans Ulrich Rudel as a consultant" Pft you really believe this Reformer non-sense? Buddy you are way behind the times, you literally don't understand anything about combat aviation if you think this non-sense is true, and don't get me started on your other Freudian comments, cannot fathom that somebody has valid info you might not have or that invalidates yours eh? You should look up the Reformers and how their misguided perspective on combat has muddled the narrative especially in regards to the development of the A-10, F-15, F-16. And again look up US COIN aircraft, you will find that guided weapons and targeting equipment are much more important that anything else, especially the lessons from Vietnam. Thanks for correcting my mistake though, should have read "Brazil".

[@myronfrobisher]

@@FirstDagger sorry to butt into this discussion however, Farquar is correct according to an article published by the Daily Beast Rudel did consult on the A-10 project. "Engineer Pierre Sprey, a former Pentagon procurement official who helped design the A-10, confirmed to The Daily Beast that none other than legendary Luftwaffe Colonel Hans-Ulrich Rudel was consulted to develop the Warthog." “While we were readying the airplane and gun for full scale production, the 30mm gun program manager, Col. Robert Dilger, invited Rudel to lead a symposium in DC attended by several hundred engineers, analysts, tacticians and intel types on all aspects of CAS [close air support] operations in combat,” Sprey told the Daily Beast. “For lots of them it was eye-opening. I translated for Rudel who spoke very little English.” I suspect that Rudel may have known a thing or two about combat aviation that you Dagger may not .

[@FirstDagger]

@@myronfrobisher ; Pierre Sprey literally is a Reformer, he did none of the things he claimed credit for. The entire story about the A-10s creation they proclaim is fabricated.

[@wa1ufo]

Well done!

[@jasonz7788]

Awesome thanks

[@ursus9104]

Good enough and easy to maintain are key qualities in war.

[@marco529]

G4m Betty bomber. At it's intended role it was awesome.

[@christopherbentley7289]

I tend to think of the G4M 'Betty' as the very antithesis of the Hs 123, as one was big and soft and the other little and hard.

[@carlekdahl7507]

Thanks for a great video featuring the HS 123, I appreciate that you cover not just the Bf 109, Spitfire and Mustang and instead cover a mix of wellknown planes and planes not getting a lot of cover on youtube and in books. Can´t wait for a video covering French bombers of ww2 like the Amiot 143, Bloch MB 200/210, Farman F220 and Potez 540. Keep up the great work.

[@franklinrwful]

Another supposedly obsolete biplane used in WW2 was the Gloster Gladiator which famously defended Malta against Germany and Italy.

[@ralfklonowski3740]

I always had a soft spot for this plane. Thank you for all the detailed Info you provided me with!

[@lawrencefox563]

Insane how many wars fought by brave men with ingenious machines and just pissing contest between people who had more in common by their deeds.

[@davidmackie8552]

Thanks!

[@nunocordovamarcos2961]

Excelente

[@winstonsmith7801]

I have a flying model of the Hs 123 . Flies nice but the wheel fairings can catch on grass runways.

[@andrewbranch4075]

Nice looking little airplane. Bit like the cr42 👍

[@jaex9617]

Ruggedness, durability, simplicity, and ability to run in adverse conditions go a long way.

[@williamkoppos7039]

Fave WW2 biplane, let's see. Gladiator, I-153, Cr 42, Swordfish, and....HS123. Love em all.

[@jukkakopol7355]

Finnish airforce use Blackburn Ribons and Fokker C.X and Closter Cladiators almost entire WW II. Ribons flew some of most daring rescue and resupply mission for long range patrols but also bomming missions agaist soviets. Fokker was used as main divebomber and photorecon plane with cameras developed our famous artillery general Nenonen and Gladiators are used as recon plane.

[@larryswanson5953]

Good stuff.

[@johnlansing2902]

Thank you , we'll done .

[@hawnyfox3411]

Back in the mid-late 1990's, I managed to pick-up a 1/48th scale Esci kit of the Henschel Hs.123. Bought it off some old-boy who was giving up modelling & by late 90's was a rare kit back then. Am wondering "if" that kit ever got re-released (?), as I also have a 'newer' (but still old), Fiat Cr.42 It all started for me, with the older (1/72) AIRFIX kit with the old "bag & staples" (white plastic !) Utterly SUPERB = Roy Cross artwork, on the old 'Paper' folded instruction sheet header..... Does ANYONE here know of an Hs.123 kit (latterday), available in 1/48th scale please ? ( 1/48th, not 1/72 )

[@alankohn6709]

A prime example of K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid tough, simple and easily maintained. The mid 20's to the late 40's is such an interesting time for aircraft

[@caniconcananas7687]

At the very start I thought the video was about the Heinkel 51, another biplane that the Legion Condor used at Spain. Although He-51 was designed as a fighter, in Spain their pilots didn't like it. It was too slow for the Soviet I-16 and not so manoeuverable as the I-15. So, Sperrle decided to use the He-51 in the same way the HS-123 was used at Spain, to straffe and bomb enemy positions. Soon it was replaced by the first production Messerschmidt 109 B's, which could counter the fast I-16. But I don't remember if the Me-109 B could chase the SB-2 Katiusha, a Soviet bomber so fast that in Spain flew without scort for some time.

[@onkelmicke9670]

Awesome aircraft.

[@HookahBurdar]

Favourite WW2 biplane would probably be the Henschel 123, but I also like the Fiat CR 42 (which was not as handsome as his predecessor the Fiat CR 32). the British Hawker Fury was indeed a beautiful airplane, and the Bristol Bulldog and the Gloster Gladiator were not disgusting. The Fairey Swordfish was also quite good looking.

[@robertcovell2787]

Well done.

[@Lomi311]

Reminds me of the US currently looking into a slow stable turboprop like the old OV10 Bronco for ground attack in modern conflicts where air supremacy is total and AA defense minimal.

[@bubuluke]

I like the Walrus, the flying boat biplane.

[@woofdogmeow2159]

I like the I-153 and the Gloster Gladiator. Though the Stearman PT-13 was the most important by training thousands of pilots the basics of flying.

[@mattshellback9258]

Big fan of the PO-2 / U-2

[@scootergeorge7089]

I was wondering if the Fairly "Stringbag" Swordfish would be mentioned.

[@drbobsnightmare2521]

North Korea still fielded a few bi-planes in combat into the 50s

[@plumahoplita]

Great video. But I have to disagree with your comment about the Hs 129. At least Martin Pegg gives him a very good description in his book 'Hs129 Panzerjäger' Regards Emilio

[@garrymartin6474]

Gladiator would be my choice if I had to go up and fight in one, followed by the last FIAT bi plane

[@lawrencelewis2592]

When I built model airplanes from kits like Airfix and others, my favourites were the biplanes of WW2. Do any HS 123s exist today?

[@kittyhawk9707]

None exist today .. possible wrecks in Soviet lakes ..

[@dufus7396]

Clouster Gladiator was a hot rod in close quarter fighting

[@thethirdman225]

I didn't know it ever performed it.

[@donnieweston3249]

The Malta Gladiators would be a subject

[@ZachariahJ]

Faith, Hope, and Charity? I grew up reading about them. (1960's in the UK). You are right, they don't seem to be mentioned much by the usual sites here on KZbin. As I got older, I started to realise that there was a lot of propaganda going on - Malta had Spitfires! (eventually). However, it is definitely a tale worth telling. I wonder if Mark Felton has covered it? Probably! ;-)

[@j.h1529]

Nice vid, i always wonder why german still using this plane in ww2

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

They were cheap?

[@thethirdman225]

The 123 was an unsung hero of the Luftwaffe. It was always overshadowed by the more modern Ju-87 and later Fw-190 _Jabos._ I rate it as _the_ most under appreciated aircraft from WWII. Anyone who wants to truly understand how Close Air Support works should look at the way the 123 was operated. Yes they lost a lot but that is the nature of the mission.

[@jameslooker4791]

I'm actually very curious what the legacy of the Hs-123 would be if it had stayed in production through WWII. I suspect production would have shifted from Ju-87s to Hs-123s as the war progressed. The poor power output could have been fixed with methanol injection. I wish a direct comparison could be more thoroughly analyzed.

[@thethirdman225]

The mission was subtly different. And the subtlety was not appreciated until the aircraft went out of production. The Stuka was a bit of a one trick pony by comparison with the 123. Once the dive was done it was time to go home. The 123, with its lower speed and better maeuvrability, could hang around and harry enemy troop formations. It's not the the Stuka couldn't do it: it's just that it couldn't do it as well. Close Air Support is arguably the _least_ well understood mission of all.

[@brettpeacock9116]

The Hs 123 is clear proof of the old adage"IF it ain't broke, Don't fix it."

[@higgs923]

Those wheel pants!

[@samy7013]

Didn’t the Germans commandeer some Italian Fiat CR-42 Falco biplane fighters, to be used as night raiders late in the war? If I’m not mistaken, I think they used some of those to attack partisans in Yugoslavia.

[@williampaz2092]

As hard as the Royal Navy tried (and they honestly tried real hard) they could not retire the Fairy Swordfish, also a Bi-Plane.

[@chrissanchez9935]

Some car brands and their service centers DISCOURAGE D.I.Y. to owners in repairing cars.

[@dillonpierce7869]

Liked that little plane since I heard of it. Shame they shut down production so early really.

[@kittyhawk9707]

That is the pace of war .. Monoplanes where coming in .. so naturally focus shifted to the modern stuff

[@dillonpierce7869]

@@kittyhawk9707 still could've been made til at least 39..... Kinda like how the Grumman duck came back out of retirement since it's replacement actually sucked. Engine problems galore.

[@kittyhawk9707]

@@dillonpierce7869 true ..bit like the Albacore and the Swordfish ... You mean the SO2 Seagull replacement .. The SO3 Seamew ..yeah that sucked so they had to bring the Seagull back into service ..

[@dillonpierce7869]

@@kittyhawk9707 except I actually love the seamew as well it's just adorable looking. 😂. P40 comes to mind as well except it was produced the whole war but the higher ups in the govt didn't really want them after mid 43 or so.

[@kittyhawk9707]

@@dillonpierce7869 Except the P40 was technically obsolete as a fighter early 42 ..but went on as a ground attacker ( even though it could still hold it's own against other fighters ).. bit different .. We are talking .. Say P26 Peashooter.. can you imagine keeping that in production , when more modern aircraft for the time ie the P40 where being developed. Why waste resources .. it would have been massacred .. Germany in full swing in 1939 with Stuka production .. so lots of Hs123 simply where not needed , as the Stuka was far more suited to role then the Hs123 was.

[@mikeycraig8970]

So it was basically Germanys Fairey Swordfish...... And oh shit, I've just got to that part in the video lol.

[@thethirdman225]

No, it wasn't a torpedo bomber.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Simple, durable and resisting retirement...call me HS 123 😶

[@EpicThe112]

If one were to compare to the Russian versions Po-2 R-5

[@roycspary8923]

check your swordfish history, it was not a old design and for lifting a huge torpedo of a carrier, the high lift of a biplane was desirable

[@650thunderbird5]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@ronaldwhite9357]

A truly delightful looking aircraft. Is there any of the Spanish types left?

[@thethirdman225]

No. There are no known Hs-123s left.

[@DrHundTF2]

I'm a big fan of the He 51. It really looks like it could do stuff. But something must have gone wrong on the inside.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

The Italians had some Biplanes too. .