The Heinkel He 111H-16 project at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum Trust in Hawkinge, UK, marked a major milestone on Saturday, 25th October 2025, when volunteers, led by Pete Smith—Chief Engineer and Trustee of the Westland Whirlwind Fighter Project—successfully installed the top Jumo 211 engine cowlings. Over the summer, Pete, renowned for his work recreating the Westland Whirlwind Fighter, had meticulously produced the two cowlings for the Heinkel He 111H-16, although the museum is restoring her in an H-2 configuration. Pete and his wife Alma traveled from Lancashire, arriving just before lunch, and were greeted by museum staff to admire the striking engine cowlings, which were initially placed on a 1,000kg practice bomb under the Heinkel overnight.
The aircraft’s history is as remarkable as the restoration work. Originally acquired by the Old Flying Machine Company in 1998, she arrived at Duxford from Spain, suspended beneath a German Army helicopter. Plans for restoration shifted in 2000 when she passed to the Imperial War Museum, but other priorities left her largely in storage, unwinged, in Hangar 5 for many years. In 2019, the Kent Battle of Britain Museum acquired the Heinkel and overcame significant logistical challenges to move her to Hawkinge, where she was reassembled and finally had her wings attached. During this process, the team discovered an original German construction plate and a bullet patch repair. Research indicates she was likely built in 1942 as a Heinkel He 111 H-16, served with the Luftwaffe, was one of 59 exported to Spain in 1943, and was later rebuilt by CASA in 1952 into a CASA 2.111B, replacing the original Jumo engines with Rolls-Royce Merlins. The museum’s Heinkel is painted to represent a He 111 H-2 of Stab Kampfgeschwader 53, shot down on 15th September 1940, with recovered original parts displayed alongside it.
On 25th October, Pete Smith was joined by Julian Richardson, Del Widdows, Andy Johnson, and Alex Sutherland to fit the cowlings, while other volunteers—including Dave, Mitch, Ian Douglas, Tom Dolezal, David Hertz, and Nigel Hodgson—managed the museum and greeted visitors. Installation required careful work, including riveting air intakes to one cowling before fitting it to the starboard engine. By late afternoon, the cowlings were mounted, marking the completion of another key stage in the Heinkel restoration. They will be temporarily removed over winter for painting before being refitted in the spring.
Pete Smith also spent the weekend continuing work on the Westland Whirlwind Fighter recreation while measuring and designing the remaining Heinkel engine cowlings. The museum extends heartfelt thanks to Pete and Alma Smith for their dedication and support in advancing both projects. For more information on the Heinkel He 111H Project, visit the museum’s dedicated page at https://www.kbobm.org/heinkel_project.html. To explore the wider collection, including the largest display of Battle of Britain artefacts in the world, visit www.kbobm.org. The museum’s 2025 season closes on Sunday, 9th November, and reopens on Good Friday, 3rd April 2026.
