Data Plates Exposed #8: Hs129

[stephen f. polyak]

It’s time for another in the “exposed” series. This one’s a subassembly/component data plate from a Henschel Hs 129 ground-attack plane. It is representative of a style of plate common to various Henschel airplanes. After the company badge and name at the top, the plate indicates order (Bestell) and design (Zchng.) numbers. Next, the type and group (Typ u. Grp.) are entered - "HS 129" on this plate. Factory and government inspectors’ stamps are the final indications. The plate shown here was taken (during the war by an American soldier) in North Africa. Thus, it can be reasonably concluded that it came from a Hs 129B-2 operated by either 4./Sch.G. 2 or 5./Sch.G. 1 (later 8./Sch.G. 2); most of the two squadrons’ aircraft were lost (destroyed or captured) in that campaign.