The Heinkel He 280 was an advanced German twin-engine jet fighter aircraft prototype developed during World War II. It holds the distinction of being the first jet fighter to fly with twin jet engines and the first jet aircraft to be built and flown by Heinkel.
Introduction
The Heinkel He 280 was a pioneering aircraft in the development of jet propulsion technology. Designed and built by the Heinkel Flugzeugwerke AG, it was intended as a fast interceptor. Its development ran in parallel with that of the Messerschmitt Me 262, ultimately losing out to its competitor for mass production.Development
Heinkel had been at the forefront of jet engine development in Germany, with Dr. Hans von Ohain developing the Heinkel HeS 3 turbojet engine. This led to the world's first jet flight with the Heinkel He 178 in August 1939. Building on this success, Heinkel's design bureau, led by Robert Lusser, began work on a twin-engine jet fighter in late 1939. The project was initially known as P.1065 before receiving the RLM (Reich Air Ministry) designation He 280. The design was conceived around the Heinkel HeS 8 (later HeS 11) turbojet engines.Design
The He 280 featured a conventional low-wing monoplane layout. Its fuselage was streamlined, accommodating a single pilot in a pressurized cockpit. The aircraft incorporated a then-innovative retractable tricycle landing gear system, which offered superior ground handling compared to the conventional tail-dragger configurations common at the time. The two jet engines were mounted in nacelles beneath the wings. The tail section featured a twin-rudder configuration. Planned armament for the production version consisted of three 20 mm MG 151 cannons mounted in the nose. The He 280 was also notable for being the first aircraft to be fitted with and successfully test an ejection seat.Operational History
The first prototype, He 280 V1, initially flew as a glider on September 22, 1940, to evaluate its aerodynamic characteristics. The first powered flight occurred on April 2, 1941, using two Heinkel HeS 8 turbojet engines, making it the world's first twin-jet aircraft to fly. Early testing revealed issues with the HeS 8 engines, which were underpowered and unreliable. Subsequent prototypes were tested with Junkers Jumo 004 and BMW 003 engines as these became available.In 1942, during a demonstration, the He 280 V2 reportedly engaged in a mock dogfight with a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter, demonstrating superior speed and maneuverability. Despite its promising performance and earlier availability, the Reich Air Ministry ultimately decided to prioritize the Messerschmitt Me 262 for production. The reasons cited included the Me 262's larger fuel capacity, greater potential for development, and the perception that it was a more robust design, particularly with the then-problematic early jet engines. Political factors and Heinkel's lower standing within the RLM compared to Messerschmitt also played a role.
Only nine prototypes of the He 280 were built before the project was officially cancelled in March 1943.