This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Heinkel and the Turbojet Engine: Origin of the First Jet Fighter
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the first turbojet engine flight. The engine was developed by the Ernst Heinkel company based on a concept pioneered by Dr. Hans von Ohain who passed away earlier this year. Initial flight-testing was conducted with the jet engine mounted under a propeller-driven aircraft. By the summer of 1939, a specially designed test aircraft, the Heinkel He 178, flew purely on jet power. This success led to development of the world's first true jet fighter, the twin-engine He 280. Although the He 280 failed to go into production (an honor that fell to the competing Messerschmitt Me 262) it was a pioneer in several aeronautical technologies. Heinkel's early and enthusiastic support for the turbojet provided a strong impetus to the entire German aero-engine industry. However, his efforts did not lead to a Heinkel turbojet engine production contract. The He 162 jet fighter (that entered large-scale production near the end of World War Two) was powered by a BMW axial-flow jet engine.
Recommended Content
Technical Paper | Large Lightweight Turbojet Engines |
Aerospace Standard | THE PREPARATION AND USE OF CHROMEL-ALUMEL THERMOCOUPLES FOR AIRCRAFT GAS TURBINE ENGINES |
Authors
Citation
Piccirillo, A., "Heinkel and the Turbojet Engine: Origin of the First Jet Fighter," SAE Technical Paper 985598, 1998, https://doi.org/10.4271/985598.Also In
References
- Angelucci, Enzo The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914 1980 The Military Press New York 1983
- Bekker, Cajus The Luftwaffe War Diaries Ballantine Books New York 1969
- Boyne, Walter J. Messerschmitt Me 262 - Arrow to the Future Smithsonian Institution Press Washington, DC 1980
- Brown, Captain Eric The Heinkel He 762 Wings of the Luftwaffe Doubleday and Company, Inc. New York 1978
- Cescotti, Roderich Aerospace-Wörterbuch, Deutsch-Englisch/Englisch-Deutsch Motorbuch-Verlag Stuttgart 1994
- Constant, Edward W. The Origins of the Turbojet Revolution The Johns Hopkins University Press Baltimore 1980
- Dressel, Joachim Griehl Manfred Fighters of the Luftwaffe Arms and Armor Press London 1993
- Ethell, Jeffrey Price Alfred World War Two Fighting Jets Naval Institute Press Annapolis, Maryland 1994
- Gersdorf, Kyrill von Grasmann Kurt Schubert Helmut Flugmotoren und Strahltrei bwerke: Entwicklungsaeschichte der deutschen Luftfahrtantriebe von den Anfaengen bis zu d e n internationalen Gemeinschaftsentwicklungen Bernard & Graefe Verlag Bonn 1995
- Green, William Cross Roy The Jet Aircraft of the World Hanover House New York 1955
- Green, William The Warplanes of the Third Reich Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden City, New York 1972
- Gunston, Bill The Development of Jet and Turbine Aero Engines Patrick Stephens Limited Sommerset, England 1995
- Gunston, Bill World Encylopaedia of Aero Engines Patrick Stephens Limited Sommerset, England 1995
- Hahn, Fritz Deutsche Geheimwaffen 1939-1945 Flugzeugbewaffenungen Erich Hoffman Verlag Heidenheim 1968
- Hallion, Richard P. Designers and Test Pilots Time-Life Books Alexandria, Virginia 1985
- Hogg, I. V. German Secret Weapons of World War Two Arco Publishing Company, Inc. New York 1970
- Kosin, Rüdiger Die Entwicklunq der deutschen Jadoflugzeuge Bernard & Graefe Verlag Koblenz 1983
- Mason, Herbert Molloy The Rise of the Luftwaffe 1918-1940 The Dial Press New York 1973
- Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr. Eagles of the Third Reich - The Men Who Made the Luftwaffe Presidio Press Novato, California 1997
- Smith, G. Geoffery Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion for Aircraft Aerosphere, Inc. New York 1944
- Smith, J. R. Kay Anthony L. German Aircraft of the Second World War Putnam and Company London 1972
- Smith, J. R. Creek Eddie J. Jet Planes of the Third Reich Monogram Aviation Publications Boylston, Massachusetts 1982
- Ohain Von Pabst Hans The Evolution and Future of Aeropropulsion Systems October 26 1979 The Jet Age -- Forty Years of Jet Aviation Smithsonian Institution Press Washington, D. C. 1979
- Wagner, Wolfgang The History of German Aviation -- The First Jet Aircraft Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. Atglen, Pennsylvania 1998 etrsten Strahlflugzeuge der Welt Bernard & Grafe Verlag Koblenz 1989
- Young, James O. Riding England's Coattails: The Army Air Forces and the Turbojet Revolution Technology and the Air Force: A Retrospective Assessment Air Force History and Museums Program Washington, D. C. 1997