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He-162 "Salamander"Jet Fighter-InterceptorHeinkel![]() Heinkel He 162A-2 'Red 02', Letno-Islyedovatel'skiy Institut, Ramenskoye, near Moskow, spring 1946
From the captured documents it became known that Heinkel was developing jet fighters back in 1944. The designers chose the simplest solution from among 20 designs of single-seat aircraft with different engines and layouts. This was a jet airplane with BMW 003 engine placed on the "spine" of the aircraft. The He 162 was quickly put into series production in early 1945 despite a number of significant handling defects. Soviet specialists treated the aircraft cautiously and, before its first sortie, a technical commission established several speed, overload, and flight weight restrictions. On 8 May, G. M. Shiyanov took to the air in the Heinkel with red stars on the fuselage and tail. The test pilot flew two more He 162 sorties, which demonstrated that the German designers had not succeeded in eliminating the main handling shortcomings. The Flight Research Institute report contained this notation: "According to the pilot, the aircraft has a low longitudinal stability margin; lateral stability is close to neutral. The aircraft is unpleasant to fly thanks to negative stability and the extra efficiency of the rudders. The long takeoff roll of 1350 meters (with a flight weight 9.6 percent below normal) indicates a very low takeoff lift coefficient. <…>. Further tests have ceased, because the takeoff roll is too long". After that, one He 162A-2 was transferred to TsAGI for testing in wind tunnel T-101 and the second was dismantled at the TsAGI New Equipment Bureau. |
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