Heinkel He 280
This interesting fighter often goes unnoticed in the annals of flight,
eclipsed by its more successful and glamorous brother the Me 262. The He 280
is however, a remarkable aircraft. It was the first jet combat aircraft, the
first twin-jet aircraft and the first jet aircraft to go beyond prototype
stage. The He 280 first flew under jet power on April 2, 1941 and eventually
eight of these beautiful aircraft were built, but, even after a mock dogfight was
arranged between the He 280 and a Fw 190, which the jet won easily,
there was little interest in the jet. If the He 280 had ever reached combat,
it was most likely to have been armed with three 20mm MG 151 cannons.
The He 280 landing after a successful maiden flight.
Origin: Ernest Heinkel
Type: Single-seat fighter
Crew: One
First FLight: September 22, 1940
Number Built: 9
Powerplants:
Dimensions:
Type: Single-seat fighter
Crew: One
First FLight: September 22, 1940
Number Built: 9
Powerplants:
- Model: Junkers Jumo 109-004A
- Type: axial-flow turbojet
- Number: Two.
- Thrust: 1,852lb (840kg)
Dimensions:
- Wingspan: 11.99726 m (39 ft 4.333 in)
- Length: 10.198 m (33 ft 5.5 in)
- Height: 3.1941 m (10 ft 5.75 in)
- Wing area: 21.51 m ㎡ (231.5 sq ft)
- Airfoil:
- root: 13%
- tip: 9%
Weights:
Armament:
- Empty: 7,386lb (3350kg)
- Loaded: 11,465lb (5200kg)
- Maximum speed:
- 751.5 km/h (467.0 mph, 405.8 kn) at sea level
- 817.5 km/h (508.0 mph; 441.4 kn) at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
- 809.5 km/h (503.0 mph; 437.1 kn) at 8,501 m (27,890 ft)
- Range:
- 615 km (382 mi, 332 nmi) at 9,010 m (29,560 ft)
- 314 km (195 mi; 170 nmi) at sea level
- Service ceiling: 11,400 m (37,390 ft)
- Rate of climb: 21.2 m/s (4,170 ft/min)
- Thrust/weight: 0.32
Armament:
- 3 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon
, 1977, Salamander Books Ltd., London
