The Heinkel He 219 Uhu (Eagle Owl) was one of the most technically advanced night fighters produced by any nation during the Second World War — a twin-engine aircraft that pioneered features now standard in modern combat aviation, including a tricycle undercarriage, pressurised cockpit, and operational ejection seats. This collection brings together 20 original German-language primary source documents covering the He 219 A and N variants, encompassing aircraft handbooks, flight operating instructions, armament manuals, radio and navigation equipment guides, illustrated parts catalogs, and rare technical reports.

Definitive Collection with Free Lifetime Updates: This is a living collection that we continuously expand and refine. As we acquire additional He 219 documentation, technical bulletins, or variant-specific materials, we update this collection and provide free lifetime updates to all purchasers. Your one-time purchase guarantees access to all future additions and improvements to this collection.

Historical Note

Designed from the outset as a dedicated night fighter — rather than a converted day fighter — the He 219 emerged from Heinkel's private venture studies in 1940–41. The RLM initially showed little interest, but operational pressure from RAF Bomber Command's night offensive over Germany forced a reassessment. The prototype flew in November 1942, and early operational trials with I./NJG 1 at Venlo in June 1943 were spectacular: Major Werner Streib destroyed five RAF bombers, including two de Havilland Mosquitoes, on his first operational sortie — the first confirmed Mosquito kills by a German night fighter.

The He 219's aerodynamic design was exceptionally clean for its era. The high-mounted wing (He 2 37 airfoil, 18.5 m wingspan, 44.5 m² wing area) gave it a maximum speed of up to 670 km/h at 7,000 metres in the A-7 variant — performance that allowed it to engage the fast Mosquito pathfinders that other Luftwaffe night fighters could not catch. Early prototypes (V1) exhibited instability about the yaw axis and tail assembly vibration, resolved by enlarging the vertical tail surfaces. Test pilot Captain Eric Brown noted the aircraft felt underpowered relative to its heavy airframe, a consequence of the intended Jumo 222 engines never reaching production maturity; the DB 603A and later DB 603E (1,750 hp) became the operational standard.

Engine-out handling was poor at high weights, particularly during take-off, and the DB 603 engines were prone to overheating under extended War Emergency Power settings. Centre of gravity management was critical: normal take-off CG sat at approximately 28.5%, with nose-down trim recommended; at high altitude, pitch stability deteriorated unless rear tank fuel was burned off to shift CG forward to around 26.5%. The complex hydraulic/electric tricycle undercarriage was robust enough for fast, hard landings, though the tail section was vulnerable if the gear failed to extend.

Despite its exceptional combat performance, the He 219 was caught in Luftwaffe political infighting. General Erhard Milch opposed the programme, preferring to concentrate production on the Ju 88G. Production never exceeded 294 aircraft, and the type served exclusively with NJG 1. Surviving examples are held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. and the RAF Museum Cosford.

Manuals Included in This Collection

Variant A — Aircraft Handbook (1 document)

• He 219 A-0 Aircraft Handbook — Flugzeug-Handbuch (German Language)

Variant A — Armament (2 documents)

• He 219 A-0 Fixed Weapons System Manual — Flugzeug-Handbuch Teil 8 A Schußwaffenanlage (German Language)
• He 219 A-0 Oblique Weapons System Manual — Flugzeug-Handbuch Teil 8 A Schußwaffenanlage; Beiheft 1 (German Language)

Variant A — Flight Manual (1 document)

• He 219 A-0 Flight Operating Instructions — Bedienungsvorschrift Fl (German Language)

Variant A — Spare Parts List (1 document)

• He 219 A-7 Illustrated Parts Catalog — Ersatzteilliste (German Language)

Variant N — Armament (2 documents)

• He 219 N Firearms Installation Operating Instructions — Bedienungsvorschrift Wa Schußwaffenanlage (German Language)
• He 219 N Firearms Installation Operating Instructions (Alternate Cover) — Bedienungsvorschrift Wa Schußwaffenanlage (German Language)

Non-Variant — Aircraft Handbook (1 document)

• He 219 Preliminary Technical Description — Vorbemerkung (German Language)

Non-Variant — Armament (3 documents)

• MG 131-/151 D 3 AL Heavy Machine Gun Weapon Manual — MG 131-151 D 3 AL Waffen-Handbuch 1941 (German Language)
• MG 151 and MG 151/20 Aircraft Cannon Weapon Manual — MG 151 und 151/20 Waffen-Handbuch (German Language)
• MK 108 Aircraft Machine Cannon — Flugzeugmaschinenkanone Mk 108 (German Language)

Non-Variant — Operating Instructions (1 document)

• He 219 Aircraft Operating Instructions — Betriebsanleitung (German Language)

Non-Variant — Radio and Equipment (6 documents)

• He 219 Onboard Radio System Manual — Bordfunkanlage (German Language)
• FuG X Onboard Radio System Manual — Bordfunkanlage (German Language)
• FuG 101 Radio Altimeter Manual — Funkhöhenmesser (German Language)
• FuG 16 Z/ZS/ZE/ZY Air-to-Ground Communication and Tactical Navigation Equipment — Bordfunk (German Language)
• Fu Bl 2 Radio Landing Device Manual — Funk-Landegerät Fu Bl 2 Geräte-Handbuch D.(Luft)T. 4058 (German Language)
• FuG 25 A IFF Transponder — Description and Operating Instructions — FuG 25 A (German Language)

Non-Variant — Technical Reports (1 document)

• He 219 Aircraft Series Overview and Flight Performance Manual — Baureihenübersicht und Flugleistungen (German Language)

Non-Variant — Slides, Photos and Brochures (1 document)

• He 219 Aircraft Instructional Image Series — Lehrbildreihe (German Language)

This collection spans the He 219's full operational documentation from the A-0 through A-7 and N variants, covering airframe, armament, avionics, and performance — an unparalleled primary-source archive of Germany's most capable dedicated night fighter.

Engineering Norms and Standards

The He 219 was developed to RLM night fighter specifications with an emphasis on high-altitude performance, crew survivability, and electronic warfare integration. The airframe used a high-mounted wing with the He 2 37 16.8–0.715–36.6 airfoil section, a wingspan of 18.5 metres, and a wing area of 44.5 m². Primary powerplant for operational variants was the Daimler-Benz DB 603A, later the DB 603E producing 1,750 hp, driving three-bladed VDM propellers. Performance specifications for the A-7 called for a maximum speed of 670 km/h at 7,000 metres, a service ceiling of 12,700 metres, a range of approximately 1,545 km, and a climb rate of 9.2 m/s. The tricycle undercarriage — the first on a production Luftwaffe aircraft — used a combined hydraulic/electric actuation system rated for fast, hard landings. Ejection seats were fitted as standard from early production, a first for any operational German aircraft. Radar fit included the Lichtenstein SN-2 (FuG 220) and, in some variants, the FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1, with the associated FuG 25 A IFF transponder documented in this collection. Schräge Musik oblique upward-firing cannon installations (MG 151/20 or MK 108) are covered in the dedicated armament supplements included here.

Format and Delivery

All documents are delivered as high-resolution PDF files, optimised for both screen reading and printing. Files are organised by variant and document type for straightforward navigation. Instant download upon purchase — no shipping, no waiting.

Disclaimer

All documents in this collection are historical primary sources provided for research, archival, and educational reference only. These materials reflect engineering and operational standards of their era and should not be used as guidance for any current aviation activity. Trade names, designations, and markings are used for historical identification purposes only. Copyright © Sicuro Publishing.