MAQUETTE À MONTER - Heinkel He 178 V-2 "First Jet Plane of the World" Special Hobby | N° SH48093 | 1:48

Characteristics

Description

The events which led to the world's first flight by an aircraft powered solely by a turbojet began when Ernst Heinkel employed Dr. Hans J. Pabst von Ohain to research his assistant Maxe Hahn in March 1936. By September 1937, the first demonstration turbojet, the HeS 1 (Heinkel Strahltriebwerk Nr. 1 or Jet engine No. 1) was bench - running. Despite being fueled on hydrogen and possessing no throttle control, the unit was able to develop 250 kg thrust. Following the success of the HeS 1, work began on a airframe designed from the outset to utilize the power of one jet engine. The He 178 V1 was to have flush - riveted, metal monocoque fuselage, wooden wings and retractable undercarriage, but for all the tests with the He 178 V1 the undercarriage was fixed and the wheel wells covered over. Taxying trials with the prototype, fitted with an HeS 3b began on August 24, 1939 and on August 27 the aircraft made its first flight from Marienehe. These were the first flight of the jet aircraft in the World. On 1st November was the aircraft demonstrated to the RLM officials during the continuation trials. The He 178 V1 made then out twelve flights in all, these being carried out by Flugkapitan Erich Warsitz. Later on, the aircraft received more powerful HeS 6 engine, wing with longer span and retractable undercarriage. This version is by some sources designated as He 178 V2. The He 178 V1 was finally despatched to the Berlin Air Museum where it was destroyed, along with He 176 in a 1943 bombing raid. Technical specifications: length: 7.48 m (24 ft 6 in), span: 7.20 m (23 ft 3 in - He 178 V1), 8.70 m (28 ft 4 in - He 178 V2), height: 2.10 m (6 ft 10 in), empty weight: 1,620 kg (3,572 lb), takeoff weight: 1,998 kg (4,405 lb), maximum speed: 598 km/h (375 mph)

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