The Heinkel He 72 Kadett (Cadet) was a German single-engine biplane trainer of the 1930s. It was known to its pilots as the Zitterrochen (Quivering Ray) as it shook madly.
== Development == The Kadett was designed in 1933 to meet an official requirement for a basic trainer. It was a single-bay biplane of fabric-covered, metal construction with open cockpits, a staggered wing, a strut-braced tail unit, and fixed tailskid undercarriage. The prototype was powered by a 104 kW (139 hp) Argus As 8B air-cooled inline engine. The first production model, the He 72A retained the As 8B engine in early batches, but later production aircraft had a 112 kW (150 hp) As 8R. The He 72A was superseded by the He 72B, which was the major production version. This was powered by a 120 kW (160 bhp) Siemens-Halske Sh 14A radial. The He 72B was produced as the He 72B-1 landplane and He 72BW Seekadett ("Sea Cadet") twin-float seaplane. The civil development was the He 72B-3 Edelkadett ("Noble Cadet").
== Operational history == The Kadett entered service with National Socialist Flyers Corps before the formation of the Luftwaffe. Later, it became a standard basic trainer with the Luftwaffe. Slovak forces used it in the attack role.
== Variants == He 72A Kadett : Initial production version. He 72B : He 72B-1 : He 72B-3 Edelkadett : Civil adaptation of He 72B-1. 30 built. He 72BW Seekadett : Twin-float seaplane. Prototype only. He 172 - He 72B with NACA cowling. Prototype only in 1934.
== Operators == Bulgaria Bulgarian Air Force Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Air Force (postwar) Germany National Socialist Flyers Corps Luftwaffe Japan Imperial Japanese Navy - one aircraft Slovakia Slovak Air Force (1939–1945) Slovak Insurgent Air Force
== Specifications (He 72B) == Data from Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.2 – Flugzeugtypen Erla-Heinkel General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) Wingspan: 9 m (29 ft 6 in) Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) Wing area: 20.7 m2 (223 sq ft) Empty weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb) Max takeoff weight: 865 kg (1,907 lb) Fuel capacity: 110 L (29 US gal; 24 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × BMW-Bramo Siemens-Halske Sh 14A 7-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine 160 PS (160 hp; 120 kW) Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller, 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) diameter Performance
Maximum speed: 194 km/h (121 mph, 105 kn) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft) Cruise speed: 158 km/h (98 mph, 85 kn) Landing speed: 80 km/h (50 mph; 43 kn) Range: 820 km (510 mi, 440 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,200 m (13,800 ft) Rate of climb: 3 m/s (590 ft/min) Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 14 minutes
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann de Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth Tachikawa Ki-17
References
== Bibliography == Sinnhuber, Karl (2012). Salzburg To Stalingrad. UK: Milton Keynes. ISBN 9781471702228.
Further reading
Wood, Tony; Gunston, Bill (1 November 1984). Hitler's Luftwaffe : a pictorial history and technical encyclopedia of Hitler's air power in World War II (2nd ed.). Chartwell Books. ISBN 978-0890097588.