Time Period: World War II
Country of Origin: Germany
Type: Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Heinkel Flugzeugwerke
Heinkel He 162 Aircraft Overview
The Heinkel He 162, also known as the “Volksjäger” (People’s Fighter), was a German single-engine jet-powered fighter aircraft developed during the latter stages of World War II. Designed by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke, the He 162 was conceived as a fast and agile interceptor to counter the Allied bomber threat over German airspace.
The development of the He 162 was initiated in response to the deteriorating situation of the Luftwaffe and the need for a cheap and easy-to-mass-produce jet fighter. Heinkel engineers designed the He 162 with simplicity and mass production in mind, utilizing wood and other non-strategic materials to expedite manufacturing.
The aircraft featured a sleek, streamlined fuselage with a mid-mounted swept wing configuration and a single turbojet engine mounted in the rear. Powered by a single BMW 003 turbojet engine, the He 162 was capable of reaching speeds exceeding 800 km/h (500 mph), making it one of the fastest aircraft of its time.
Heinkel He 162A Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 9.05 m (29 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
- Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 11.16 m2 (120.1 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 1,660 kg (3,660 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,800 kg (6,173 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 695 L (184 US gal; 153 imp gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × BMW 109-003E-1 or BMW 109-003E-2 turbojet engine, 7.85 kN (1,760 lbf) thrust
Heinkel He 162A Performance
- Maximum speed: 840 km/h (520 mph, 450 kn) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
- Range: 975 km (606 mi, 526 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 23.42 m/s (4,610 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 252 kg/m2 (52 lb/sq ft)
- Thrust/weight: 0.35 (normal thrust). 0.41 (emergency boosted thrust)
Heinkel He 162A Armament
- Guns: 2 × 20 mm (0.787 in) MG 151/20 autocannon with 120 rpg (He 162 A-2) or 2 × 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon with 50 rpg (He 162 A-0, A-1)
