Henschel HS 129 Tank Buster

The Henschel HS 129 was a World War II ground-attack aircraft fielded by the German Luftwaffe. A rugged and compact design, it was one of the Luftwaffe's primary ground-attack planes, designed specifically to destroy enemy armor. Operational from the early 1940s, the HS 129 was powered by two air-cooled engines and was heavily armored to protect its crew against ground fire. Despite its limited agility and speed, the aircraft was respected by its pilots for its ability to withstand significant damage and still return home. It was armed with a formidable array of weapons, including cannons and machine guns, making it a feared adversary on the Eastern Front. The HS 129 saw extensive action in the Soviet Union, where its tank-busting capabilities were put to the test against Soviet armor. Nicknamed the 'Panzerknacker' (Tank Cracker) for its effectiveness, the HS 129 remains a testament to the ingenuity and ruggedness of World War II aircraft design.