Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe: Heinkel He 162 (Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe Close Up)

Heinkel’s single-jet He 162 fighter arrived in Luftwaffe service at the very end of the Second World War - but its development can be traced back to the beginning of July 1944. A contest had been set in motion to design a powerful and aerodynamically advanced replacement for Messerschmitt’s twin-jet Me 262 and Heinkel believed it could win. As the competition progressed and Germany’s resources dwindled, it became clear that an advanced jet fighter was not what the Luftwaffe needed. A new concept was formulated: a cheap, basic fighter equipped with a single readily-available turbojet. The advanced fighter contest was temporarily shelved and Volksjäger was born. Swept metal wings, V-tail and HeS 011 engine swapped for straight wooden wings, conventional tail and BMW 003 engine, Heinkel’s fighter design was rushed through a brief selection process before Adolf Hitler himself placed an order for 1,000 a month. A massive effort saw the He 162 go from blueprints to flying prototype in less than two months. But was it a triumph of engineering prowess or a costly white elephant which hastened the end of the war? Using contemporary documents, author Dan Sharp explains and explores the development history of this fascinating and controversial late-war ‘secret project’. The History Of The Luftwaffe's Last Minute Single-jet Fighter, The Heinkel He 162, Is Neither Standard Nor Straightforward. Originally Conceived As The Jet Fighter Anyone Could Fly Into Combat, The He 162 Was Designed And Built In Under Five Months - An Astonishing And Unparalleled Feat Of Engineering. But What Emerged Was Not A Simple Jet Fighter But A Tricky 'widow-maker' Which Killed Far More Of Its Own Pilots Than It Ever Did Those Of The Enemy. Going Back To The Original Wartime Documentation, Author Dan Sharp Examines The Story Of This Remarkable Aircraft In Detail. Preface Chapter 1 - Introduction Chapter 2 - Heinkel P 1073 July to September 10, 1944 (P 1073.01-01 to P 1073.01-15) Chapter 3 - Volksjäger competition September 10-23, 1944 (P 1073.01.16 to He 500) Chapter 4 - Production model September 23, 1944 to May 8, 1945 (He 162 A-1, A-2, S and prototypes) Chapter 5 - Planned future developments (HeS 011, pulsejets and more) Summary Colour profiles Appendices Acknowledgements Endnotes Index