Heinkel He-50

[klemen]

I am posting this question as a favour to a friend of mine who is doing a research about the Type 94 Carrier Bomber (D1A1) - Aichi, Japan's first purpose-designed dive-bomber. There are some things about He-50 that he and I would like to get to the bottom.

1.) Exact origin of the He 50: Some sources state that the He 50 itself was originally built to a Japanese order. I doubt this highly. I think these sources are confusing the order placed by Aichi later for one example of this plane which resulted in the delivery of the He 66. I also read somewhere that the He 50 began as an unsuccessful floatplane design ordered by the Japanese navy. I find no mention of such a thing in Japanese sources, so if this is true, I want to get to the bottom of it. Other sources say that He-50 was originally built to a Chinese order, but from what I know the Chinese also have never seen a single He-50 in their service?!? Or did they?

2.) My friends has a fairly authoritative Japanese source which states that in 1930 the Imperial Japanese Navy received reports of successful dive-bombing trials conducted by the Germans against tanks using the He 50. This strikes me as too early. I thought the first flight of the He 50 was in 1931?! If they were conducted before 1931 that would also mean that they would most probably carried out in Lipetsk (USSR), wouldn't they?

3.) Did the Germans in fact conduct such trials against tanks, and if so, when?

Any help on these three points would be more than welcome and appreciated.

Best wishes,

Klemen