Henschel Hs129 141859 "Red D" of the SchG 1
Hs 129B-2/R-2 141859
The Henschel Hs 129 is most famously known in its Hs 129B-3 variant, which featured the PaK-40 75-mm anti-tank cannon. Despite this notoriety, most of the Hs 129’s missions were carried out with smaller caliber weapons. Typical of an Eastern Front aircraft, the B-2 model was equipped with a centerline 30-mm MK 101 cannon, in addition to its internal MG 17 machine guns and MG 151 cannon. It also had small racks on the wings for carrying bombs intended for use against personnel or vehicles. Although the Hs 129 faced a difficult beginning due to engine reliability issues, it managed to achieve some success in the latter stages of the war.