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The Heinkel He 111’s history began with its secret development in July 1932 based on specifications from the German Army’s Ordnance Bureau, at a time when Germany was still nominally adhering to the Treaty of Versailles restrictions on rearmament. It was conceived by the Günter brothers, Walter Mertens, and Meyer-Cassel, with Karl Schwarzler handling detailed design, and initially disguised as a fast airliner. The first prototype, the He 111 V1, made its maiden flight on February 24, 1935, piloted by Gerhard Nitschke from the Rostock-Marienehe factory. Early civil prototypes, the He 111 V2 and V4, followed, leading to the He 111C airliners that began scheduled services with Deutsche Lufthansa in April 1936, named after cities like Rostock, Dresden, and Nürnberg. Some He 111 Gs were also directly supplied to the Luftwaffe as VIP transports, and four were exported to Turkey.

The initial bomber variant, the He 111A, was deemed underpowered and unresponsive with a full military load and was rejected for frontline service by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM), with ten units eventually exported to China. The He 111B, powered by more potent Daimler-Benz DB 600Aa engines, was the first He 111 variant to enter operational Luftwaffe service in late 1936. These early models, including the B, C, D, E, F, and J series, featured a distinctive “stepped-cockpit” design. The He 111B’s performance included a cruising speed of 345 km/hr (214 mph) and a range of 910 km (365 miles) with a 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) bomb load. A notable design change came with the F-series, which introduced a new wing with a straighter leading edge, departing from the earlier curved wing.

The He 111 first saw combat during the Spanish Civil War starting in 1937 with the Legion Condor, where it quickly became the standard bomber, proving superior to the Ju 86 and Do 17 in terms of speed and bomb-carrying capacity. However, early combat experience also hinted at its defensive armament’s vulnerability. The introduction of the He 111P and H variants in 1939 marked a significant visual change, with these types featuring the round, fully-glazed nose (often called the “fishbowl” or “Biedermann” nose), which improved visibility for the crew. By September 1939, over 700 He 111s, predominantly P/H variants, were in service and formed the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s bomber force, with older models relegated to training schools.

During the Polish Campaign in September 1939, the He 111 launched devastating attacks, and its operational debut was considered highly satisfactory despite some losses to Polish fighters and “friendly fire” from German flak. It saw widespread action in Holland, Belgium, and France during the Blitzkrieg in the West in May 1940, facing increased flak and fighter opposition.

The Battle of Britain (July-October 1940) was a turning point for the He 111. Despite extensive deployment (over 500 He 111Hs), it proved vulnerable to British fighters due to insufficient defensive armament and a lack of fighter escort, suffering significant losses (246 machines lost during the Battle of Britain alone). Following these daylight losses, the He 111 was increasingly transitioned to night bombing, becoming a vanguard of the “Blitz” against British cities. Specialized pathfinder units like KGr.100 used advanced radio-navigation devices such as “X-Gerät”.

On the Eastern Front, from 1941 to 1945, the He 111 remained in service until the very end of the war, adapting to diverse conditions including harsh winters. It played a critical role in air supply operations, notably during the Stalingrad airlift and the Demyansk pocket, flying in crucial supplies and evacuating wounded.

The He 111 demonstrated remarkable versatility throughout its service life. It was adapted for various specialized roles:

• Torpedo-bomber: Versions like the He 111J, F-4, H-4, and H-6 were configured to carry and launch torpedoes.
• Guided Missile/Flying Bomb Carrier: The He 111H-6 was used to carry glider bombs such as the BV 246 “Hagelkorn”, and the He 111H-22 was specifically modified to air-launch Fi 103 (V1 “Doodlebug”) flying bombs against London in 1944-1945.
• Paratroop Transport: The He 111H-20/R1 variant was designed to carry 16 paratroops.
• Glider Tug: A unique variant, the He 111Z (“Zwilling” or “Twin”), consisted of two He 111 fuselages joined by a new center wing with a fifth engine, specifically designed to tow heavy transport gliders like the Me 321 “Gigant”.
• Reconnaissance and VIP Transport: Various He 111 variants were also used for reconnaissance, VIP transport, and communications. Some were fitted with specialized radio equipment and “Kutonase” for low-level attacks.

Production of the He 111 ceased by the autumn of 1944. While total production figures vary, estimates suggest over 7,000 examples were built during the war. Post-war, license-built versions known as CASA 2.111 continued to serve with the Spanish Air Force until the late 1950s, sometimes re-engined with Rolls-Royce Merlin powerplants. The He 111 has been rightly described as “one of the most outstanding warplanes of the mid-1930s”.