 German Heinkel bomber converted to CNAC transport (Photo courtesy of Jim Dalby) March 30, 2001 - From Jim Dalby "Tom I don't know much about the Heinkel with the Chung on the side. It was parked back of our facilities along side of a Vultee when I got there in 1943 and was still there when I left in 1945. I took the picture. I was told what it was a couple years ago by an expert who used to be with our museum. I remember his saying that it was not a converted bomber. I will ask him again. Jim UPDATE JUNE 17, 2001 "Hi, The mysterious He-111 is the last surviving He-111A-0. It had its engines changed in about 1940 due to the lack of spare parts. 2 engines from CNAC DC-3s were mounted on the He-111A. The re engined He-111A was used as a transport. The unorthodox marking (the white Chinese character "Zhong" on a black disc) signified that it was a transport plane. Not a CNAC aircraft! Back to hystory. Six Heinkel he-111 A-0 were sold to Cantonese Air Force in 1936. Later they were used by 19.chungtui (sg), 8.tatui (Group) in the Sino-japan war. best wishes Miro Herold June 18, 2001 -- Additional update from Miro. "Hi Tom, In the beginning of this letter I'd like to introduce myself. I've interrested about the Chinese aviation history 1910-41 about nearly 20 years. I build Chinese models in scale 1/72 too. In the last five years I began to write some articles about this in West Europe less known them a for Czech and English magazines. I'm from Czech Republic and 1989 I escaped via Yugoslavia to Western Germany, where I live in Cologne. In the next issue of Revi (Czech aviation magazine) is my article about the Heinkel in China. There is also a English summary. If you give me your address, I will sent with pleasure a copy of it. There are infos from Germany's archive and in Taiwan published books etc.. You may contact Mr.D.Y. Louie - dylou@juno.com too. He is the expert for Chinese aviation. best wishes my friend Miro June 21, 2001 -- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS AIRCRAFT FROM JIM DALBY "Tom, This airplane may have DC-3 engines. If so they were 1820 Curtiss/Wright engines. The 1820 C/W engines were 1200 hp on the DC-3. On the DC-2 they were about 800 hp. Please note 2 bladed propellers. I don't think the these propellers would absorb 1200 hp. Most C-47, 53, DC-3 airplanes used P&W 1200 hp engines. Ray Wagner, who is an expert on Chinese, Japanese & Russian aircraft told me one thime that this machine was not converted but was always a transport airplane. I will run this by him again. To the best of my knowledge the only airplanes in China to use this Insignia was CNAC. Jim" This plane has generated a lot of keen interest. Read on... October 16, 2001 From Clarence J.P. Fu "Dear Tom, I am an aviation enthusiast living in Taiwan. My friend told me your site tonight and I came to visit. A great site. I cried out when I saw the photo of He 111A. I have only seen words about it before. I am sorry that it is not a CNAC one. That plane belonged to CATC (Central Air Transport Co.), another big airlines in wartime China. It was the successor of Eurasia, a Sino-German airline. CATC was a pure Chinese company. Central is "Chung Yang" in Mandarin, so the charactor in the disc is also a Chung, but with a diffirent writing style. It is the first time I see it, different with the later style. The words on rudder is Chung 2, means the second CATC aircraft. Another interesting founding is the civil registration under wing: looks like XT-ATC. The later CV-240 carried XT-600 to 610. By the way, the He111A crashed in taking off in Kunming on Dec. 25, 1944, damage beyond repair. I think we will have lots things to talk about. I will cry out again if I see a CNAC Commodore photo..... Best regards, Clarence J.P. Fu http://home.pchome.com.tw/happy/jpfu/"  Thanks for your help and interest in keeping this part of aviation history alive. |