Hansa-Brandenburg W.12


The Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 was a biplane fighter floatplane built by the Hansa-Brandenburg Aircraft Company for the Imperial German Navy's Naval Air Service during World War I. Six prototypes were ordered in 1916 and deliveries began the following year. The W.12s served on the Western Front, based at the naval air bases in Occupied Belgium and along the German Bight. The aircraft was successful, and one shot down the British airship C.27.
In 1919 the government of the Netherlands bought a licence to build the aircraft. 35 W.12s were subsequently manufactured by the Van Berkel company of Rotterdam as the W-A, serving with the Dutch Naval Aviation Service until 1934.

Design and development

The W.12 was designed by the company's chief designer, Ernst Heinkel, as a two-seat biplane fighter floatplane to protect the Naval Air Service's air bases. Aviation historian Peter M. Grosz states that Heinkel may have been influenced by design work done in Austria-Hungary by companies that shared an owner with Hansa-Brandenburg, Camillo Castiglioni.

Operational history

Oberleutnant Friedrich Christiansen shot down the non-rigid airship C.27 on 11 December 1917 for his fourth aerial victory.

Dutch service

After suffering an engine failure, a W.12 made an emergency landing south of Rottum Island in the Netherlands on 22 April 1918 and it was recovered by the Royal Netherlands Navy. After repairs it was flight tested by the head of the Naval Aviation Service, Luitenant ter zee der 1ste klasse D. Vreede who was impressed with its performance. It was purchased from the Imperial German Navy and became the pattern aircraft for the Van Berkel W-A after the Naval Aviation Service purchased a license for the W.12. It placed an order for 35 W-A floatplanes with industrialist Wilhelmus van Berkel on 15 November 1918 even though van Berkel lacked any experience with building aircraft. The Dutch initially planned on using Hispano engines, also built by van Berkel, but they were poorly manufactured and had to be replaced by used Mercedes D.IIIaü engines purchased in Germany. The last of the W-As were withdrawn from service in 1934.

Variants

W.12 : German Navy model. 146 built.Van Berkel W-A : Dutch licence-built W.12, with Mercedes D.IIIaü engine. 35 built.

Operators