Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in
Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including
locomotives,
trucks,
buses and
trolleybuses, and
armoured fighting vehicles and
weapon
A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...
s.
Georg Christian Carl Henschel founded the factory in 1810 at Kassel. His son Carl Anton Henschel founded another factory in 1837. In 1848, the company began manufacturing locomotives. The factory became the largest locomotive manufacturer in Germany by the 20th century. Henschel built 10 articulated steam trucks, using
Doble steam designs, for
Deutsche Reichsbahn railways as delivery trucks. Several cars were built as well, one of which became
Hermann Göring's staff car. In 1935 Henschel was able to upgrade its various steam locomotives to a high-speed
Streamliner type with a maximum speeds of up to by the addition of a removable shell over the old steam locomotive. In 1918, Henschel began the production of gearboxes at the Kassel plant. In January 1925, Henschel & Son began building trucks and buses.
World War II
Early in 1935, Henschel began manufacturing
Panzer I
The Panzer I was a light tank produced in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Its name is short for (German for "armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated as . The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was '' Sd.Kfz. 101' ...
tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful ...
s. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the firm was responsible for license production of the
Dornier Do 17Z medium bomber, and in 1939–1940 it began large-scale production of the
Panzer III
The ''Panzerkampfwagen III'', commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight ot ...
. Henschel was the sole manufacturer of the
Tiger I, and alongside Porsche the
Tiger II. In 1945, the company had 8,000 workers working in two shifts each of 12 hours, and
forced labour was used extensively. The company's factories, which also manufactured
narrow-gauge locomotives, were among the most important Allied bomber targets and were nearly completely destroyed.
Aviation
Henschel Flugzeugwerke aircraft and missiles included:
*
Henschel Hs 117
The Henschel Hs 117 ''Schmetterling'' (German for ''Butterfly'') was a radio-guided German surface-to-air missile project developed during World War II. There was also an air-to-air version, the Hs 117H.
The operators used a telescopic sight and ...
''Schmetterling'' (Butterfly),
rocket
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entir ...
-engined surface-to-air missile
*
Henschel Hs 121
The Henschel Hs 121 was the first aircraft built by the German Henschel company. It was a high-wing monoplane with an inline engine, fixed undercarriage and single, open cockpit, designed as an advanced trainer. Only one aircraft was produced, i ...
, fighter and trainer (prototype)
*
Henschel Hs 122
The Henschel Hs 122 was a German army cooperation/reconnaissance aircraft of the mid-1930s, radial-engined and with a parasol wing. Though only pre-production variants entered service, the Hs 122 led on to the Hs 126 which was produced in large ...
,
army co-operation/reconnaissance
*
Henschel Hs 123, ground-attack (biplane)
*
Henschel Hs 124
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehi ...
, heavy fighter and bomber (prototype)
*
Henschel Hs 125
The Henschel Hs 125 was a German advanced training aircraft prototype featuring a single engine and low wing, designed by Henschel & Son and tested by the Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Weh ...
, fighter and trainer (prototype)
*
Henschel Hs 126, reconnaissance
*
Henschel Hs 127
The Henschel Hs 127 was a German bomber that was built as two prototypes, but cancelled without entering mass production.
In 1935, the RLM (''Reichsluftfahrtministerium'' - German Ministry of Aviation) published requests for a fast tactical bomb ...
, fast medium bomber (''Schnellbomber'' prototype)
*
Henschel Hs 128
The Henschel Hs 130 was a German high-altitude reconnaissance and bomber aircraft developed in World War II. It suffered from various mechanical faults and was never used operationally, only existing as prototype airframes.
Development
Develo ...
, high-altitude reconnaissance and bomber (prototypes)
*
Henschel Hs 129
The Henschel Hs 129 was a World War II ground-attack aircraft fielded by the German '' Luftwaffe''. The aircraft saw combat in Tunisia and on the Eastern Front.
A key requirement of the original specification was that the aircraft be powered ...
, ground-attack
*
Henschel Hs 130
The Henschel Hs 130 was a German high-altitude reconnaissance and bomber aircraft developed in World War II. It suffered from various mechanical faults and was never used operationally, only existing as prototype airframes.
Development
Develo ...
, high altitude reconnaissance and bomber (prototypes)
*
Henschel Hs 132
Henschel's Hs 132 was a World War II dive bomber and interceptor aircraft of the German ''Luftwaffe'' that never saw service. The unorthodox design featured a top-mounted BMW 003 jet engine (identical in terms of make and position to the powerpla ...
,
jet-engined dive bomber (prototype)
*
Henschel Hs 135,
delta wing
*
Henschel Hs 293,
rocket
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entir ...
-boosted
glide bomb
*
Henschel Hs 294, rocket-powered anti-shipping glide bomb
*
Henschel Hs 295
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel Hs 296
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel Hs 297
The Henschel Hs 297 Föhn or 7.3 cm Raketen Sprenggranate was a small German surface-to-air rocket of the Second World War. The associated multiple rocket launcher was known as the 7.3 cm Föhn-Gerät.
Design
The Henschel Hs 297 Föhn (The Fo ...
''Föhn'', 73mm anti-aircraft rocket-launcher
*
Henschel Hs 298 __NOTOC__
The Henschel Hs 298 was a 1940s German rocket-powered air-to-air missile designed by Professor Herbert Wagner of Henschel.
Design and development
The Hs 298 was designed specifically to attack Allied bomber aircraft and was the first ...
, rocket-powered
air-to-air missile
*
Henschel Hs P.75
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
, a 1941 design with slightly swept-back wings placed at the rear, swept-back
canards at the front, and double
pusher propellers at the rear.
*
Henschel Hs P.87
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
, a
Schnellbomber design similar to the Hs P.75, except that the canards in the front are straight and the wing is curved.
*
Henschel 'Zitterrochen'
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
(Torpedofish),
air-to-surface missile (pre-production only)
Post-war business
Manufacturing began again in 1948. In 1964, the company took over Rheinische Stahlwerke and became Rheinstahl Henschel AG (
Hanomag
Hanomag (Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG, ) was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks and military vehicles in Hanover. Hanomag first achieved international fame by delivering numerous steam locomotives to Finland, Romania a ...
). The truck production of Henschel was merged with that of Hanomag that spun off to form Hanomag-Henschel in 1969, this later went to Daimler-Benz, which discontinued the brand name Hanomag-Henschel in 1974. The production was switched to commercial vehicle axles, in this area it is the largest factory in Europe. In 1976
Thyssen-Henschel, and 1990 ABB Henschel AG. In 1996, the company became
ABB Daimler Benz Transportation Adtranz. The company was subsequently acquired by
Bombardier (Canada) around 2002. The Kassel facility still exists and is one of the world's largest manufacturers of locomotives (Henschel Antriebstechnik).
Locomotives
Private, mining and industry railways
;Generation 1
*
Henschel DH 110
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
*
Henschel DH 200
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 360
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 550
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Generation 2
*
Henschel DH 240
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 360
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 390
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
*
Henschel DH 440
The DH 440 is a type of diesel-hydraulic locomotive built by Henschel in 1956–58 as one of their second-generation diesel locomotive types. They had wheel arrangement C, with three axles powered through a jackshaft.
Six units of the type were b ...
*
Henschel DH 630
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
*
Henschel DH 875
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
*
Henschel DHG 630
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
*
Henschel DH 500
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 500
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Generation 3
*
Henschel DH 120 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 180 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 240 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 360 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 500 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicl ...
*
Henschel DH 120 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 120 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 120 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 120 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 360 Ca
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 440 Ca
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 500 Ca
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 600 Ca
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 700 Ci
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 360 D
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 700 D
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DH 850 D
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Generation 4
*
Henschel DHG 500 C
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 700 C
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 1000 BB
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 1200 BB
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Generation 5
*
Henschel DHG 300 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 700 C
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 700 C-F
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 800 BB
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 1200 BB
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Generation 6
*
Henschel DHG 300 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DE 500 C
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Esslinger
*
Henschel DHG 160 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 200 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 240 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 275 B
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
*
Henschel DHG 330 C
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
;Bundesbahn
*
Henschel-BBC DE2500
;Export
* ''Henschel DHG 625 C'' as
SJ-Series V 4 und
SJ-Series V 5
*
Henschel DH 600 C
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for Export to Ghana and Sudan
*
Henschel NY5
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for the Chinese Railways
*
Henschel NY6
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for the Chinese Railways
*
Henschel NY7
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for the Chinese Railways
* Henschel DHG 2500 BB for
Indian Railways as
WDM-3 - 8 built 1970
*
Henschel DHG 1000 BB
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for Perusahaan Djawatan Kereta Api/PJKA (now PT.Kereta Api Indonesia or Indonesian Railway) as BB 302 01 - BB 302 06 (built 1970) and BB 303 01 - BB 303 57 (built 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1984).
*
Henschel DHG 800 BB
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for PJKA as BB 306 01 - BB 306 22 (built 1984 to 1986).
*
Henschel AA221
Henschel & Son (german: Henschel und Sohn) was a German company, located in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicle ...
for ENR (built 1978 to 1988).
*
DSB Class EA
The DSB Class EA was the first electric locomotive in Denmark, introduced in 1984. Twenty-two were built for DSB, about half were acquired by Deutsche Bahn in 2001 when it took over the freight business of DSB.
Between 2007 and 2010 some began ...
for the
Danish State Railways
Notable employees
*Chief Designer
Erwin Aders
Erwin Aders (1881, Düsseldorf – 1974) was the chief designer for Germany's Henschel & Son during World War II. He led the design for the heavy tanks Tiger I and Tiger II
The Tiger II is a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The fina ...
*Dr. Herbert A. Wagner (see
Henschel Hs 117
The Henschel Hs 117 ''Schmetterling'' (German for ''Butterfly'') was a radio-guided German surface-to-air missile project developed during World War II. There was also an air-to-air version, the Hs 117H.
The operators used a telescopic sight and ...
,
Henschel Hs 293,
Henschel Hs 294,
Supercavitation,
Operation Paperclip)
*
Konrad Zuse
Konrad Ernst Otto Zuse (; 22 June 1910 – 18 December 1995) was a German civil engineer, pioneering computer scientist, inventor and businessman. His greatest achievement was the world's first programmable computer; the functional program- ...
See also
*
List of RLM aircraft designations
References
*
External links
Henschel's Mittelfeld Werkes Tiger tank factory
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henschel and Son
Defunct aircraft manufacturers of Germany
Rolling stock manufacturers of Germany
Locomotive manufacturers of Germany
Defunct bus manufacturers
Truck manufacturers of Germany
Companies based in Kassel
German brands
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of Germany
Trolleybus manufacturers
Bus manufacturers of Germany
Electric vehicle manufacturers of Germany
Henschel & Son