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Heinkel He 100

Fighter · Germany · Cold War (1970–1991)

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The Heinkel He 100 was a German experimental single-seat fighter prototype — the unsuccessful competitor to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 that nonetheless set the world speed record for piston aircraft at 746 km/h on 30 March 1939. The Günter brothers designed the He 100 in 1937-1938 at Heinkel Warnemünde; the prototype first flew on 22 January 1938. Only 19 He 100 airframes were built before the type was abandoned. The aircraft's commercial success was limited to a Nazi propaganda film campaign and a Japanese licence-evaluation deal.

The He 100 used a Daimler-Benz DB 601M V-12 engine (1,175 hp). Maximum speed 670 km/h in standard configuration; 746 km/h in record-setting trim (with special evaporative surface cooling system replacing conventional radiator). Service ceiling 11,000 m. Armament: 1 × 20 mm MG FF cannon firing through propeller hub + 2 × MG 17 7.92 mm wing-mounted machine guns. The aircraft's evaporative surface cooling system replaced conventional radiators with steam-condensing wing surfaces — innovative but operationally fragile.

He 100 service was nominal. The Luftwaffe selected the Messerschmitt Bf 109 over the He 100 because the Bf 109 had simpler maintenance, established production tooling, and (crucially) Willy Messerschmitt's political support over Ernst Heinkel's. The 19 He 100s were used for propaganda film campaigns — Nazi-controlled news outlets falsely showed the aircraft in fictional Luftwaffe squadron operations to deceive Allied intelligence about Luftwaffe fighter strength. Japan negotiated a licence for the He 100 in 1940 but never built any in Japan. About 0 He 100 airframes survive — all were scrapped during WWII.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Heinkel He 100 was a German fighter prototype from the late 1930s. It lost the Luftwaffe fighter contest to the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Only 19 He 100s were built between 1938 and 1939. But the He 100 set a world piston-aircraft speed record at 464 mph on March 30, 1939.

The He 100 is 27 feet long with a 31-foot wingspan, smaller than a school bus. One Daimler-Benz DB 601M V-12 engine made 1,175 horsepower. Top speed is 416 mph in normal use, faster than most race cars; 464 mph for the speed record. The He 100 has a 20mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, plus 2 machine guns.

The He 100 had a unique evaporative cooling system. Instead of a normal radiator, the plane used parts of the wing surface to release engine heat as steam. This cut drag and made the plane faster. But the system was fragile and broke easily, one reason the He 100 lost to the Bf 109.

The Nazi propaganda used He 100 photos to make Allied spies think Germany had thousands of new fighters. The few He 100s were repainted with different markings and photographed in different settings to look like many planes. Japan also evaluated a few He 100s in 1940 but did not order any. The He 100 design ended in 1939.

Fun Facts

The He 100 was a German fighter prototype that lost to the Bf 109.
Only 19 He 100s were built between 1938 and 1939.
The He 100 set a 464 mph world piston-aircraft speed record in March 1939.
The He 100 is 27 feet long, smaller than a school bus.
The plane used evaporative cooling instead of a normal radiator.
Nazi propaganda made the 19 He 100s look like thousands.
Top speed is 416 mph, faster than most race cars.

Kids’ Questions

What is evaporative cooling?

Most engines use radiators full of water to cool down. The radiator sits in the air stream, creating drag. The He 100 used the wing surface itself as a cooler: hot water turned to steam in the wing skin, releasing heat. This cut drag and made the He 100 fast. But the system was fragile, with steam leaks, hot spots, and other problems.

Why did it lose to the Bf 109?

The He 100 was faster than the Bf 109 in tests, but harder and more expensive to build. The fragile cooling system was a major worry. Politics also mattered: Willy Messerschmitt had strong support in the Nazi government, helping his Bf 109 win the contest. The Luftwaffe picked the simpler, cheaper Bf 109 in 1936.

How did Nazi propaganda use it?

The 19 He 100s were photographed in many different settings, with different markings repainted each time. Captions told Allied spies that Germany had a new fighter called the He 113 in mass production. Allied intelligence believed the story for years, fearing thousands of He 113s did not exist. This early example of fake news fooled both Britain and America.

Variants

He 100 (sole production run): All 19 airframes built 1938-1939. Daimler-Benz DB 601M engines, evaporative surface cooling.

Notable Operators

Luftwaffe (propaganda role 1939-1942): Sole user. 19 airframes used for propaganda films + Luftwaffe test programmes. Never entered front-line fighter service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the He 100 lose to the Bf 109?

The Bf 109 had simpler maintenance, established production tooling, and Willy Messerschmitt's political support over Ernst Heinkel's. The He 100's evaporative surface cooling system was technically interesting but operationally fragile — the steam-condensing wing surfaces were vulnerable to combat damage and difficult to repair in field conditions. The Luftwaffe procurement decision favoured the more-practical Bf 109.

What was the propaganda film campaign?

Nazi-controlled news outlets falsely depicted He 100s in fictional Luftwaffe squadron service to deceive Allied intelligence about German fighter strength. The 19 He 100 airframes were repainted in fictional Jagdgeschwader markings + film footage showed them "in service" — when in reality they were prototype-only aircraft used for propaganda. The campaign was partially successful at deceiving early-WWII British intelligence assessments.

Did the He 100 set a real speed record?

Yes — 746 km/h on 30 March 1939 by Hans Dieterle. This was the world's fastest piston-engine aircraft speed at the time. The record stood until April 1939 when the Messerschmitt Me 209 V1 set 755 km/h (also using Heinkel's evaporative cooling system). Both records were achieved in specially-modified airframes, not standard production configurations.

Sources

Wikipedia — Heinkel He 100