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Heinkel

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Heinkel Flugzeugwerke
Company typePrivate
IndustryAerospace
PredecessorHansa-Brandenburg (Ernst Heinkel was chief designer)
Founded1922 in Warnemünde, Germany
FounderErnst Heinkel
FateMerged into Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (1965); later part of Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm and Airbus
SuccessorVereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW)
Headquarters
Rostock
,
Germany
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Ernst Heinkel, Siegfried Günter, Walter Günter, Heinrich Hertel
ProductsAircraft, jet engines, motor scooters, microcars, bicycles

Heinkel Flugzeugwerke (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪŋkəl ˈfluːktsɔʏkˌvɛʁkə]) was a German aircraft manufacturer established by Ernst Heinkel, whose name it bore. The company gained recognition for its production of bomber aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during World War II, as well as for groundbreaking advancements in high-speed aviation. Notably, it developed the first successful liquid-fueled rocket aircraft and the pioneering turbojet-powered airplane, both of which completed their maiden flights shortly before the onset of World War II in Europe.

History

After a distinguished tenure as chief designer at the Hansa-Brandenburg company during World War I, Ernst Heinkel founded his own enterprise in 1922 at Warnemünde, following the easing of aviation restrictions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. By 1929, Heinkel had innovated compressed air-driven catapults that were installed on German Norddeutscher Lloyd ocean liners, including the SS Bremen and Europa, enabling the launch of short-range mail planes directly from the ships’ decks.

The first significant aircraft design by Heinkel after World War I was the all-metal, single-engine Heinkel He 70 Blitz, introduced in 1932 as a high-speed mail plane and airliner for Deutsche Luft Hansa. This model set multiple speed records within its category. Subsequently, the company developed the twin-engine Heinkel He 111 Doppel-Blitz, which became a key bomber for the Luftwaffe throughout World War II. At this stage, the principal designers included the twin brothers Siegfried and Walter Günter brothers, along with Heinrich Hertel.

The firm’s main offices were situated in Rostock, an area later referred to as Heinkel-Nord (Heinkel-North). This location was formerly known as Marienehe (now part of the Schmarl district), positioned along the west bank of the Unterwarnow estuary. The company also operated a coastal factory airfield nearby in Rostock/Schmarl, approximately three kilometers (1.9 miles) north-northwest of its headquarters. Additionally, after the 1938 Anschluss, Heinkel established a second engineering and manufacturing plant named Heinkel-Süd at Schwechat near Vienna International Airport, Austria.

World War II

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-774-0011-34, Produktion von Flugzeug Heinkel He 111 P-4.jpg
Manufacturing of the Heinkel He 111 in 1939

Heinkel is primarily recognized for its aircraft utilized by the Luftwaffe throughout World War II. This association began with modifications to the He 70 and especially the He 111, transforming them into bombers. The company also produced the Luftwaffe's sole operational heavy bomber, the Heinkel He 177, though it was never deployed in large quantities. Both bombers were equipped with advanced night navigation systems—the Z-Gerät, Y-Gerät, and Knickebein—developed by Johannes Plendl, making these among the earliest planes to incorporate sophisticated night navigation technology, now standard in commercial aviation.

Heinkel's success in fighter aircraft sales was limited. Prior to the war, the Heinkel He 112 lost out to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and efforts to surpass Messerschmitt’s design with the Heinkel He 100 were thwarted by political interference within the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM — Reich Aviation Ministry). Nevertheless, Heinkel delivered an impressive night fighter, the Heinkel He 219, which was hampered by political challenges and saw only restricted production. It was notable as the first Luftwaffe frontline aircraft to feature retractable tricycle gear landing gear and was also the world’s first operational combat aircraft equipped with ejection seats. In contrast, the only heavy bomber introduced during the war—the Heinkel He 177 Greif—proved to be one of Germany’s most problematic wartime aircraft designs. It suffered from frequent engine fires caused by flawed engine nacelle configurations and an airframe that was burdened with conflicting design requirements. Initially approved by the RLM in November 1937, its approximately 30-meter (100 ft) wingspan was intended to support moderate-angle dive bombing attacks until this directive was revoked in September 1942.

From 1941 until war’s end, Heinkel merged with engine producer Hirth, forming Heinkel-Hirth. This union enabled the company to manufacture its own engines, including those from its Heinkel Strahltriebwerke turbojet division.

The Heinkel brand was also a pioneer in both jet engine and rocket technology development and played a key role in introducing retractable tricycle landing gear, which was uncommon among early WWII German aircraft designs. In 1939, test pilot Erich Warsitz flew the Heinkel He 176 and Heinkel He 178, marking them as the first aircraft powered by liquid-fuel rockets and turbojets respectively.

File:Ruinen Heinkelwerk.JPG
Ruins of Heinkel headquarters offices in Rostock

Heinkel was the first company to develop a jet fighter prototype, the Heinkel He 280, which also represented their initial design incorporating retractable tricycle landing gear. In early 1942, aerial reconnaissance photographs taken after an air raid on the Rostock factory revealed evidence of this aircraft to personnel at RAF Medmenham. Following this discovery, Allied forces intensified their aerial surveillance efforts to gather intelligence on Germany’s jet aircraft program.

The He 219 night fighter was Germany’s first frontline combat plane featuring retractable tricycle landing gear and was globally pioneering as an operational military aircraft equipped with ejection seats. Although the twin-jet powered Heinkel He 280 flew successfully, it never entered production because the RLM redirected focus toward bomber manufacturing and favored development of the competing Messerschmitt Me 262. Near war’s end, a single-jet fighter from Heinkel—the Heinkel He 162A Spatz (sparrow)—was introduced as the first military jet designed from inception with retractable tricycle landing gear, turbojet propulsion, and an ejection seat; however, it had only just begun service when Germany surrendered.

Forced labour in the Second World War

Heinkel extensively utilized forced labour from the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, employing an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 inmates in the production of the He 177 bomber.

After the war

File:Heinkel He 231 Stufe2.svg
Entwicklungsring Süd EWR VJ 101A/He 231 Concept second iteration

Post-World War II, Heinkel was banned from aircraft manufacturing and shifted its focus to producing bicycles, motor scooters (as detailed below), and the Heinkel microcar. The company resumed aircraft production in the mid-1950s by license-building Lockheed Martin F-104 Starfighters for the West German Luftwaffe. In 1965, Heinkel was merged into Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW), which itself was later incorporated into Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm in 1980, eventually becoming part of Airbus.

The joint development group Entwicklungsring Süd, a collaboration between Bölkow, Messerschmitt, and Heinkel, engineered the EWR VJ 101A/He 231, a prototype vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft designed to defend West German airbases against potential Soviet incursions.

Aircraft

HD - Heinkel Doppeldecker
HE - Heinkel Eindecker
He - Heinkel (RLM designation)

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RLM Designator - "He" series

The following are notable aircraft produced or designed by Heinkel under the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) designations:

- The Seaplane Trainer model originally known as HD42, later designated as He42. - The light bomber biplane HE45, initially called HD45. - The army cooperation/reconnaissance monoplane HE46, formerly HD46. - The trainer project HE47, which only existed as a mockup before its destruction by factory fire in1934. - The short-range reconnaissance project HE48, cancelled after a mockup inspection in1935. - The biplane fighter HE49, first known as HD49. - The reconnaissance and dive bomber biplane HE50, previously designated HD50. - The biplane fighter development HE51, derived from the HE49. - A high-altitude prototype version of the HE51, known as HE52. - The multirole biplane HE59, first called HD59. - The shipborne reconnaissance biplane seaplane HE60, initially HD60. - An export variant for China of the HE45 named HE61 (originally HD61). - The reconnaissance seaplane model HE62, formerly HD62. - A prototype trainer biplane called HE63, earlier known as HD63. - The sports plane HE64. - A project for a single-engine high-speed mail plane, designated HE65. - An export version of the HE50 for Japan named HE66. - The fast single-engine mail plane introduced in1932 called HE70 Blitz. - A single-seat monoplane derived from a scaled-down version of the HE64, named HE71. - The trainer aircraft known as HE72 Kadett. - A prototype light fighter and advanced trainer biplane called HE74, which lost out to competitors Fw56 and Ar76. - The fighter aircraft HE100. - Medium bomber and airliner model HE111. - Fighter plane known as HE112. - A fictitious designation assigned to the variant D1 of the HE100 named HE113. - Reconnaissance seaplane model HE114. - Military seaplane design called HE115. - Long-range reconnaissance and mail plane designated as HE116. - Prototype dive bomber named HE118, which lost competition to Ju87. - Experimental high-speed single-engine reconnaissance/bomber introduced in1937 called HE119. - Four-engine long-range passenger flying boat project begun in1938 named HE120, cancelled in favor of BV222. - Jet-powered fighter design known as the People's Fighter or Volksjäger, named HE162 Spatz. - Export version of the HE70 for Hungary designated as HE170. - Prototype version with NACA cowling called the HE172. - Pioneering liquid-fueled rocket-powered experimental aircraft prototype named HE176. - Long-range heavy bomber called the HE177 Greif, which was Germany's only heavy bomber during the Third Reich. - World's first jet-powered aircraft known as HE178. - Proposed four-engine variant of HE177 called HE179 that was never constructed. - Night fighter model named HE219 Uhu. - Four-engine long-range passenger flying boat project started in1939 called HE220, cancelled in favor of BV222. - Modified version of HE70 fitted with DB601 engine named HE270. - High-altitude heavy bomber development based on HE177 called HE274; two prototypes completed postwar in France. - Four-engine heavy bomber project termed HE275. - Paper-only design for heavy bomber intended for Amerika Bomber program called HE277 featuring four BMW801E radial engines; never built. - Four-engine turboprop bomber project referred to as HE278. - Jet fighter design that was first jet fighter ever flown named HE280. - Multirole aircraft project unrelated to night fighter model called HE319. - Four-engine jet bomber project initiated in1944 designated as HE343. - Proposed longer wingspan variant of night fighter combined with tail design from another model termed HE419. - High-speed bomber derivative from experimental designs named HE519 developed in1944 but remained a project only. Additionally, export versions included:

  • - Medium bomber based on the HE111 intended for use by Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service.*
  • - Development of the HE112 tailored for Imperial Japanese Army Air Service.*
  • - Interceptor fighter derivative based on the HE100 designed for Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service.*
P - Projects

Numerous conceptual designs were developed under project codes including:

  • - P.1041: Relating to the development of the HE177.*
  • - P.1054: Unspecified concept.*
  • - P.1060: Associated with the development of the night fighter model.*
  • - P.1062: Fighter project initiated in1942.*
  • - P.1063: Mid-wing fast attack aircraft concept from1942.*
  • - P.1064: Long-range mid-wing bomber powered by BMW801Ea engine proposed in1943.*
  • - P.1065: Designs focusing on fighter-bombers.*
  • - P.1066: Ground attack aircraft equipped with two BMW801E or BMW Jumo222C engines conceptualized in1942.*
  • - P.1068: Corresponds to development of four-engine jet bomber.*
  • - P.1069: Mid-wing fighter powered by Junkers Jumo004B engine proposed in1943.*
  • - P.1070: Fighter-reconnaissance design featuring two Junkers Jumo004B engines also proposed in1943.*
  • - P.1071: Asymmetrical fuselage fighter utilizing two Junkers Jumo004B engines designed during1943.*
  • - P.1072: Mid-wing bomber concept powered by four BMW003A–0 engines from1943.*
  • - P.1073: Twin jet engine fighter project which evolved into the successful jet-powered Volksjäger design.*
  • - P.1074: Four-engine fighter powered by BMW801E engines proposed during1944.*
  • - P.1075: Mid-wing long-range twin DB603E engine fighter concept developed in1944.*
  • - P.1076: Near conventional design featuring slightly forward swept wings and contra–rotating propellers at front developed around1944.*
  • - P.1077 Julia/Romeo: Rocket-propelled point-defense interceptor concept.*
  • - P.1078 series: Jet-powered interceptor designs submitted under Emergency Fighter Program including:*
    • P.1078A – Jet-engined fighter concept.*
    • P.1078B – Tailless jet-engined fighter concept.*
    • P.1078C – Tailless jet-engined fighter developed circa1944.*
  • - P.1079 series: All-weather jet fighters including:*
    • P.1079A – Two-engine night-fighter jet concept.*
    • P.1079B/I – Flying wing all-weather heavy jet fighter design.*
    • P.1079B/II – Flying wing all-weather heavy jet fighter developed circa1945.*
  • - P1080: Ramjet-powered fighter proposal submitted under Emergency Fighter Program.*
  • - P1084: Transport aircraft concept initiated during1942.*

Additionally, VTOL concepts included:

  • - Lerche (Lark): VTOL ground attack and fighter design.*
  • - Wespe (Wasp): VTOL tail sitter interceptor.*


Microcar

Main article: Heinkel Kabine
File:Heinkel Kabine vl red2.jpg
Heinkel Kabine

In 1956, Heinkel launched the "Kabine" bubble car, entering the market alongside competitors such as the BMW Isetta and the Messerschmitt KR200. This model featured a unit body construction paired with a four-stroke single-cylinder engine.[1]

Although Heinkel ceased production of the Kabine in 1958, manufacturing continued under license initially by Dundalk Engineering Company in Ireland, followed by Trojan Cars Ltd., which ultimately ended production in 1966.[1][2]

Scooters

Main article: Heinkel Tourist
File:Heinkel Tourist 175, Bj. 1956 1a.jpg
Heinkel Tourist 175 (1956)

During the 1950s, Heinkel introduced the "Tourist" motor scooter, which gained a reputation for dependability. This sizable and relatively heavy touring scooter offered substantial weather protection through a full fairing, with the front wheel steering beneath a fixed nose extension. Benefiting from its aviation heritage, the "Tourist" boasted effective aerodynamic design. Despite being powered by a modest 174 cc (10.6 cu in), 9.5 bhp four-stroke engine, it could reach speeds up to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) (officially rated at 58 miles per hour (93 km/h)) when given sufficient acceleration time.

Additionally, Heinkel produced a lighter model known as the Heinkel 150 with a 150 cc (9.2 cu in) engine.[3]

Mopeds

File:Heinkel Perle vl.jpg
Heinkel Perle

From 1954 until 1957, Heinkel manufactured the Perle moped.[4] The Perle was an advanced cycle featuring a cast alloy unit frame, rear suspension, a fully enclosed chain drive with part of the enclosure integrated into the swingarm, and interchangeable wheels. This level of engineering sophistication resulted in a higher price point.[5][6] Like most mopeds of its era, it was equipped with a two-stroke engine displacing 50cc that ran on a gasoline and oil mixture.[7] Approximately twenty-seven thousand units of the Perle were sold.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum: 1956 Heinkel Kabine www.microcarmuseum.com, accessed 17 March 2021
  2. ↑ Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum: 1963 Trojan 200 Archived 2008-10-25 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Heinkel 150 Faraway Montevideo Heinkel 150 site, www.faraway.htmlplanet.com, accessed 17 March 2021
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Biker Szene Interview with Ernst Heinkel's SonTemplate:Fix/category[permanent dead link]
  5. ↑ Wilson, H. "The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle" p. 77 Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 1995 ISBN 0-7513-0206-6
  6. ↑ CycleMaster PAGE 10. 1955 Earls Court Show: Debut of the ‘Mo-ped’ - "HEINKEL - Stand 96"
  7. ↑ Die Heinkel-Perle von Dieter Lammersdorf www.heinkel-club.de, accessed 17 March 2021

External links

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