Heinkel He 162 going back home. (1 Viewer)

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johnbr

2nd Lieutenant
5,591
5,140
Jun 23, 2006
London Ontario Canada
So this in the September Aeroplane.
 

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Survivors

# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120227) of JG 1 is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London, Hendon, London.
# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120077) is currently owned by the Planes of Fame Museum and on static display Chino, California. Rumor has it this aircraft was for sale and was purchased by a German museum. This aircraft was sent to the United States in 1945 where it was given the designation FE-489 (Foreign Equipment 489) and later T-2-489.[6]
# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120230), thought to have been flown by Oberst Herbert Ihlefeld of 1./JG 1, is currently owned by the U.S. National Air and Space Museum. This He 162 is currently fitted with the tail unit from Werk Nummer 120222
# Two He 162 A-2s (Werk Nummer 120086 and 120076) were owned by Canada Aviation and Space Museum, 120086 is assembled, but in storage. Werk Nummer 120076 was traded to Aero Vintage in the UK for a Bristol Fighter (G-AANM, D-7889) in December 2006. Investigations are currently being made into the practicality of an airworthy restoration of Werk Nummer 120076. Aircraft in Profile 203 reports both aircraft as having being refurbished in Canada in the 1960s.[7]
# An He 162 A-1 (Werk Nummer 120235) is displayed hanging from the ceiling of The Imperial War Museum in London.
# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120015) formerly of III./JG1, is currently under restoration at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace near Paris, France.
# An He 162 is most likely in storage at the Smithsonian Museum (Werk Nummer 120222, Air Force number T-2-504).
 
Wow, didn't realize there were that many Salamanders around!
There's not a single Salamander around, those listed are named "Spatz" (Heinkel designation) or Volksjäger (RLM propaganda designation).
Salamander was the development program codename.
 
Survivors

# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120227) of JG 1 is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London, Hendon, London.
# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120077) is currently owned by the Planes of Fame Museum and on static display Chino, California. Rumor has it this aircraft was for sale and was purchased by a German museum. This aircraft was sent to the United States in 1945 where it was given the designation FE-489 (Foreign Equipment 489) and later T-2-489.[6]
# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120230), thought to have been flown by Oberst Herbert Ihlefeld of 1./JG 1, is currently owned by the U.S. National Air and Space Museum. This He 162 is currently fitted with the tail unit from Werk Nummer 120222
# Two He 162 A-2s (Werk Nummer 120086 and 120076) were owned by Canada Aviation and Space Museum, 120086 is assembled, but in storage. Werk Nummer 120076 was traded to Aero Vintage in the UK for a Bristol Fighter (G-AANM, D-7889) in December 2006. Investigations are currently being made into the practicality of an airworthy restoration of Werk Nummer 120076. Aircraft in Profile 203 reports both aircraft as having being refurbished in Canada in the 1960s.[7]
# An He 162 A-1 (Werk Nummer 120235) is displayed hanging from the ceiling of The Imperial War Museum in London.
# An He 162 A-2 (Werk Nummer 120015) formerly of III./JG1, is currently under restoration at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace near Paris, France.
# An He 162 is most likely in storage at the Smithsonian Museum (Werk Nummer 120222, Air Force number T-2-504).
Anything is possible but it is still there as of today October 01, 2011.


Wheels
 
There's not a single Salamander around, those listed are named "Spatz" (Heinkel designation) or Volksjäger (RLM propaganda designation).
Salamander was the development program codename.
That's like saying there's no King Tigers or A-10 Warthogs around...

War machines, much like anything else, can pick up a nick-name that ends up being accepted over it's actual designation.

As far as the He162s go, I wonder what ever happened to the ones the French had and used as trainers after the war.
 
As far as the He162s go, I wonder what ever happened to the ones the French had and used as trainers after the war.

Now that would be an interesting story, I wonder if there's anything much written about them in English?

Maybe it's a bit like my interest in the He177/277/274.
The French flew the 2 He274 prototypes as the AAS 01A the AAS 01B; with 4 x seperate proper DB603's running turbochargers, something the Germans just didn't have the materials to mass-produce properly during the war.
Can't find much about their experience with them at all.

I always remember the Imperial War Museum's He162 hanging from the ceiling (and the Fw190, the Spit, the V2 the Polaris missile) such impressive sights.

It's a shame these planes will never fly again, but it's perfectly understandable given the comments about the engines wing sections.
Maybe one day someone wealthy will fancy a replica one will be made?

(like the American reproduction Me262's?)

I always liked these planes, even today they have a 'different' look to them.....in their day they must have seemed so radical.
I wouldn't have fancied trying out that very early ejector seat tho!
 
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The American-built reproductions were called "Stormbirds" by the peple who built them and were so close to the wartime airframes that Messerschmitt issued them consecutive werkrnumbers from the factory --- since they needed data palptes to be able to fly. Though flying on modern jet engines, they are placarded at 540 mph, the same as the originals.

I had the good fortune, while living in the area, to go down and tour the hangars where they were completed. Where the originals used wood, the reproductions used wood, too ... plus they made the cannons and cannon ammunition boxes out of wood, too. All were completed as two-seaters, but came with both single seat and two seat cowlings for the top fuselage so a prospective owner could configure as he or she wished. Mayby display it as a single seat but convert to two seat when flying to take a lucky passenger along.

Their only real problems in the flight test program was the downlocks for the main gear, which came from a Grumman S2F donor aircraft. Fittingly, the test pilot was German, too.

I'm glad the Messerschmitt company has one they can now fly once in awhile. If was innovative when it was new, and should not be fogotten, especially by the people who designed and brought it into service.
 
Here's a picture of the He162 replica owned and displayed by Wings Of Eagles. It's a static (non-flyable) display.

As far as reproductions go, I'd like to see someone reproduce the real first combat capable jet, the He280 :thumbleft:
 

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I always remember the Imperial War Museum's He162 hanging from the ceiling (and the Fw190, the Spit, the V2 the Polaris missile) such impressive sights.

It's a shame these planes will never fly again, but it's perfectly understandable given the comments about the engines wing sections.
Maybe one day someone wealthy will fancy a replica one will be made?

(like the American reproduction Me262's?)

I believe a company in the United States is looking into restoring an original one to airworthy standard.


As for the reproduction Me 262's, they are amazing. I go to see one fly in formation with a Bf 109G-4 back in September. Absolutely amazing experience.

Here are some pics I took...

DSC07246.jpg


DSC07279.jpg


DSC07300.jpg


DSC07316.jpg


DSC07348.jpg


DSC07349.jpg


And the rest of the pics...
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/warbird-displays/hahnweide-oldtimer-airshow-2011-a-30067.html
 
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is the 262 replica full size

Yes, they were built in the United States to the same specifications and plans. The only difference is the engine. Instead of using Jumo 004s they use General Electric J-85s. Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm which is now owned by EADS has even given the aircraft Werknummern that are in sequence with the last originals built in 1945.

Here is some info:

The Me 262 Project was launched in 1993 with a single objective: to reproduce flying examples of the legendary Me 262. Classic Fighter Industries, Incorporated (CFII) was incorporated specifically to administer this effort, and exercised direct control over the project from 1993 until early 2001, when all assets were transferred to the owner's group in preparation for final assembly, the test flight programs, and delivery.

Production has been strictly limited to five aircraft: once these five are complete, no more will ever be produced, now or in the future.

The airplanes are being manufactured as a continuation of the basic Me 262 design. In fact, they have even been assigned factory serial numbers drawn from the werknummern sequences used on the original 1945 production lines.

Accurate, Authentic and Airworthy

Great pains are being taken to produce aircraft which are not simply replicas, but rather true serial production representative aircraft in every possible respect. Virtually rivet for rivet, the new aircraft are duplicates of the original Me 262. With the ability to examine and copy components from a vintage source, the standard of authenticity has been exactingly maintained.

Of course, the original design suffered from some well-known weaknesses, most notably dealing with the engines and landing gear systems. These areas were studied carefully, and certain subtle modifications have been directed for operator safety and reliability. A cursory visual inspection would never reveal them, however, as these internal modifications have been tightly integrated into the original design characteristics of the aircraft.

In essence, the new Me 262s are simply representative of a natural evolution of the airframe. They are being manufactured using many of the same techniques as the originals (by hand from raw materials), and are to be precision duplicates, even down to the four nose-mounted Mk 108 cannons. The only noteworthy concession will be in the area of engine selection.


Me 262 PROJECT INTRODUCTION
 

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