Heinkel He176 Rocket Plane
He176 Nazi's First Rocket Plane
Under the heading "Flier Humor," a German aviation magazine published, a, rumor that Ernst Heinkel had, an airplane
that would, go faster than 627 m.p.h.On June 20,1939,the first
rocket plane, He 176, made its initial flight under strict secrecy.
The power unit, a HWK-RI engine, designed, by Hellmuth
Walter, developed a paltry 690 kilopond thrust-sufficient
for about 466 m.p.h. "Those aren't wings," Ernst Udet sneered
when he was confronted, by Heinkel's new creation for the first
time, "they're rails." Udet was told that Lippisch had, already
done considerable work on flying wings and delta wings, but
the veteran airman thought more of rattly piston engines and
sturdy conventional wings. The project of the He 176 came up
against the world's first jet, the He 178, and, fell into oblivion.
Specifications
Length 17 ft. |
