Heinkel He 162 - Photos & Video

Heinkel He 162 A Salamander
Country	Nazi Germany
Role	Jet fighter
First flight	6 December 1944
Built	320

The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger (German, “People’s Fighter”), the name of a project of the Emergency Fighter Program design competition, was a German single-engine, jet-powered fighter aircraft fielded by the Luftwaffe in World War II. Designed and built quickly, and made primarily of wood as metals were in very short supply and prioritised for other aircraft, the He 162 was nevertheless the fastest of the first generation of Axis and Allied jets. Volksjäger was the Reich Air Ministry’s official name for the government design program competition won by the He 162 design. Other names given to the plane include Salamander, which was the codename of its construction program, and Spatz (“Sparrow”), which was the name given to the plane by Heinkel.

Source: Heinkel He 162 A Salamander on Wikipedia

Heinkel He 162 Salamander
Photographers	Cees Hendriks
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	81

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Heinkel HE-162 Salamander Walk Around
Photographer	Bill Maloney
Localisation	Wings of Eagles Museum
Photos	42

Heinkel He 162A-1 Volksjager Walk Around
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	31

Heinkel He162A-1 Volksjager Walk Around
Photographer	Don Allen
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	45

Heinkel HE-162 Walk Around
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	24

Heinkel He-162A-2 Walk Around
Photographer	Vojtech Peterka
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	14

The Emergency Fighter

The Heinkel He 162 was the result of the “Emergency Fighter Program” initiated in late 1944. As Allied bombers devastated German industry, the Luftwaffe needed a jet that was cheap, used non-strategic materials (like wood), and was easy to fly for Hitler Youth pilots with minimal training. Remarkably, the aircraft went from a wooden mockup to its first flight in only 90 days. While it was aerodynamically advanced and extremely fast, it was also dangerous to fly due to its sensitive handling and the poor quality of the glues used in its wooden construction.

Attribute	Technical Specification (He 162 A-2)
Role	Interceptor / Emergency Fighter
Crew	1 (Pilot)
First Flight	December 6, 1944
Powerplant	1 × BMW 003E-1 turbojet
Thrust	1,760 lbf (7.8 kN)
Maximum Speed	562 mph (905 km/h) at 20,000 ft
Endurance	30 minutes (approximate)
Armament	2 × 20mm MG 151/20 cannons

Radical Engineering in a Hurry

Dorsal Engine Mount: To simplify the fuel system and protect the engine from debris on rough runways, the BMW 003 jet was mounted directly on top of the fuselage. This required a twin-fin “H-tail” to allow the exhaust gases to pass between the rudders.
Wooden Construction: The wings were made entirely of wood, as was the nose and various fairings. In a famous incident during the first flight, the acidic “Tego film” glue ate through the wooden wing structure, leading to a catastrophic structural failure.
Ejection Seat: Despite being a “budget” fighter, the He 162 was one of the first operational aircraft to feature a Heinkel-designed ejection seat, powered by an explosive cartridge, because the pilot could not safely bail out through the top-mounted engine intake.
The “Salamander” Mystery: “Salamander” was the codename for the wing construction project, while the aircraft itself was officially the Spatz (Sparrow) or Volksjäger.

Brief Combat and Capture

Operational Units: Only one unit, JG 1, was fully equipped with the He 162 before the war ended. They claimed a handful of victories, but the aircraft’s short fuel endurance and landing gear issues caused more losses than enemy fire.
The British Assessment: After the war, British test pilot Eric “Winkle” Brown flew the He 162 and described it as having “the best all-round view” and being a “delightful” aerobatic platform, though he warned it was “unforgiving” if mishandled.
Aerodynamic Innovations: The wings featured distinctive turned-down “drooped” tips (Lippisch-style), which were intended to improve stability and prevent the aircraft from rolling unexpectedly at high speeds.
Survivors: Because so many were built (approx. 320), several exist today. Notable examples are at the RAF Museum London, the Smithsonian, and the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in France.