The Hs-123 was designed as a dive bomber and was a predecessor of the Stuka Ju-97. It became more widely used as a ground attack, anti-partisan and night harassment aircraft. Although of a somewhat old fashioned design the Hs-123 proved to be a robust and reliable aircraft that could operate under conditions where more modern air craft could not.
In January 1943 Generaloberst Wolfram von Richthofen, then commander-in-chief of Luftflotte 4, asked whether production of the Hs 123 could be restarted because the Hs 123 performed well in a theater where mud, snow, rain and ice took a heavy toll on the serviceability of more advanced aircraft. However, the Henschel factory had already dismantled all tools and jigs in 1940.
The Hs 123D is a hypothetical aircraft based on the assumption that Henschel were able to resume production. The Hs 123D is an improved design modified to reflect the Hs-123’s changed mission and operational experiance.
• Enclosed cockpit to provide better protection against the russian cold weather.
• Exhaust flame dampers to make the aircraft less visible during night missions.
• 20mm MG 151/20 cannon in each lower wing to provide better capability against light vehicles.
• Provision to mount R4M air to ground rockets.
• Redesigned landing gear to reduce fouling from ice and mud.
Armament
Two 7.92mm MG17 machine guns firing through the propeller arc.
Two 20mm MG 151/20 cannon, one in each lower wing.
Four wing hardpoints, each capable of mounting :-
one SC50 50 kg (110 lb) bomb
one AB 23 SD 2 container holding 23 SD2 “butterfly” anti-personnel bomblets
or
one AB70-1 container with 3 Mark S flares.
Alternately, up to fourteen 88mm R4M Air to Ground Rockets can be mounted under the lower wings.
Centreline hardpoint can mount:-
One 300 litre auxilary fuel tank ,
one SC250 250 kg (550 lb) bomb,
one AB250-3 container of 108 SD 2 bomblets
one AB250-2 container with 224 SD1 bomblets or 17 SD10A bomblets
or
one Mk250 container with either 41 flares or 25 flares and 3 SD2.
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