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HEINKEL Hel 62

THE HEINKEL HE 162 SALAMANDER A.K.A.

"VOLKSJAGER" (PEOPLE'5 FIGHTER) JET FIGHTER WAS CONCEIVED, DESIGNED,

AND BUILT IN 90 DAYS AS A LAST ATTEMPT BY GERMANY TO AVOID DEFEAT IN WORLD WAR II. THE SALAMANDER WAS INTENDED AS AN INEXPENSIVE FIGHTER WHICH COULD BE BUILT BY SEMI-SKILLED LABOR OUT OF NON-STRATEGIC MATERIALS. APPROXIMATELY 300 WERE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF THE WAR.

		j 4 , 7 A iTrrrri	.......AH*.
i„y JL......	U i

PILOTS WERE TO BE SELECTED FROM THE HITLER YOUTH MO VEMENT, GIVEN GLIDER TRAINING AND THEN ASSIGNED DIRECTLY TO THIS JET FIGHTER. IT IS FORTUNATE THAT THIS PLAN WAS NEVER REALIZED SINCE THE SALAMANDER WAS NO |... _t MACHINĘ FOR THE INEXPERIENCED. EVEŃ SEASONED PILOTS HAD TO USE EXTREMELY SMOOTH AND DELICATE CONTROL MOYEMENTS TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE.

THE LUFTWAFFE BEGAN RECEIYING THEIR 162S IN JANUARY OF 1945. 120 HE 162S WERE USED BY I./JG1 AND II./JG1. A FEW AIRCRAFT WERE DELIVERED TO JV 44 AS WELL.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO FULLY AUTHENTICATED REPORTS OF THE HE 162S OF JG 1 BEING ENCOUNTERED IN COMBAT, ON MAY 2, 1945 A VICTORY WAS RECORDED BY UNTEROFFIZTER RECHBERGER, WHO CLAIMED TO HAVE SHOT DOWN AN AMERICAN P-47 THUNDERBOLT. TWO DAYS LATER LEUTNANT SCHMITT CLAIMED A BRITISH TYPHOON NEAR ROSTOCK.

THE AIRCRAFT FEATURED AND HYDRAULIC PUMP TO SEAT.

SEVERAL ADYANCED TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS. THIS INCLUDED ENGINE DRIVEN ALTERNATOR OPERATE FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR, BLOWN ACRYLIC WINDSHIELD AND CANOPY AND EJECTION

OWIRE LOOP ANTENNA

ENGINE

INTAKE

ENGINE ^GEXHAUST

ENGINE ASS'Y

ENGINE FAIRING

WING ASS’Y

SLIDE ASSEMBLED WING THROUGH FUSELAGE CUT-OUTS, GLUE

TOOTHPICK FOR PITOT TUBĘ

MAKE SNIPS AT EDGES TO HELP FORM INTO A CONCAVE CURVE ALONG ITS LENGTH. ADJUST TO ACHIEVE A SNUG FIT BETWEEN ENGINE, FUSELAGE AND WING

OUR MODEL DEPICTS AN HE-162 OF 3 STAFFEL. EINSATZGRUPPE I/JG1 THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO STAFFELKAPITAN OBERLEUTNANT ERICH DEMUTH. IT CARRIED HIS 16 VICTORY MARKS ON THE TAIŁ, BUT THESE HAD BEEN GAINED ON OTHER AIRCRAFT. THIS MACHINĘ WAS CAPTURED BY BRITISH FORCES AT LECK.

He 162 A-2 SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: . . . BMW 003E-1 or 6-2 turbojet Dimensions:

Span...................7.20m

Length..................9.05m

Height..................2.60m

Weights:

Empty.......... 3,666    Ibs. (l,663kg)

Take-Off........6,184    Ibs. (2,805kg)

Maximum Speed: At normal maximum thrust sea level.........491    mph (790 kph)

19.690    ft (6,OOOm) ... 521 mph (838 kph) 36,090 ft (11,OOOm) . . 475 mph (765 kph) Rangę: At Fuli Throttle

sea level........... 242 mis (390km)

19.690 ft.......... 385 mis (620km)