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Heinkel He 176

Experimental · Germany · WWII (1939–1945)

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The Heinkel He 176 was a German experimental single-seat liquid-fuelled rocket aircraft — the world's first manned aircraft to fly under sustained liquid-fuel rocket power. Heinrich Hertel designed the He 176 at Heinkel Warnemünde in 1937-1938; pilot Erich Warsitz flew the first powered flight on 20 June 1939. Only 1 He 176 was built. The aircraft was abandoned after the Reich Air Ministry rejected the rocket-fighter concept and the airframe was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid on Berlin in 1944.

The He 176 used a Walter HWK RI-203 liquid-fuel rocket engine (about 600 kgf thrust). Maximum speed ~750 km/h (estimated, actually achieved ~345 km/h in initial flights), endurance only ~60 seconds at full thrust (rocket-fuel capacity was minimal). The aircraft was a small wooden monoplane with a fully-enclosed cockpit and detachable cockpit-jettison system (an early ejection-seat-like emergency-egress mechanism, the first such system fitted to any aircraft).

He 176 testing was limited to ~10 powered flights between June 1939 and September 1939. The aircraft demonstrated that liquid-fuel rocket propulsion could power manned aircraft in sustained flight. Hermann Göring viewed a demonstration flight on 3 July 1939 + judged the concept impractical for fighter use (the 60-second endurance was unworkable). The Reich Air Ministry shifted Heinkel's rocket-aircraft work to the Walter HWK rocket-engine development that eventually produced the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. The He 176 airframe was retired in late 1939; it was placed in storage at the Berlin Air Museum and destroyed in an Allied bombing raid in 1944. No He 176 components survive.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Heinkel He 176 was the world's first liquid-fuel rocket plane. It first flew under rocket power on June 20, 1939. Only one He 176 was built. Test pilot Erich Warsitz did all the flying. The plane was destroyed by an Allied bombing raid on Berlin in 1944.

The He 176 is small, about 16 feet long, smaller than a school bus. One Walter HWK rocket engine made 1,300 pounds of thrust. Top speed in tests was around 215 mph, faster than most cars on a highway. The aircraft could only fly for 60 seconds at full power because rocket fuel runs out fast.

The He 176 was a small wooden plane with a fully-enclosed cockpit. The pilot's cockpit could break away in emergencies, the first ejection-seat-like system ever. This was an early step toward the modern ejection seat. Pilot Warsitz tested the He 176 in about 10 powered flights.

The Reich Air Ministry decided that rocket fighters were not practical. The He 176 program ended in late 1939. The data helped Germany develop the later Me 163 Komet rocket fighter, which did enter combat in 1944. The He 176 was a pioneer of rocket aviation.

Fun Facts

The He 176 was the world's first liquid-fuel rocket plane.
First powered flight was June 20, 1939.
Only one He 176 was built.
The He 176 is 16 feet long, smaller than a school bus.
Top speed was around 215 mph, faster than most cars on a highway.
Rocket fuel lasted only 60 seconds at full power.
The He 176 had the first emergency-escape cockpit-jettison system.

Kids’ Questions

Why a rocket plane?

In 1937, German engineers thought rocket engines might be the future of fast flight. Rocket engines do not need air to burn fuel, so they work at any altitude. They also produce huge amounts of power for a short time. Heinkel built the He 176 to test if a manned rocket plane could fly. It could, but only for 60 seconds at a time.

How does the rocket engine work?

The Walter HWK rocket burns liquid hydrogen peroxide as fuel. The peroxide passes over a special metal catalyst, which makes it instantly decompose into steam and oxygen. The hot steam rushes out the back nozzle at high speed, pushing the plane forward. No air is needed, so the engine works in space too. But the fuel runs out very fast.

What came after?

The Reich Air Ministry decided that the He 176's short flight time made it impractical as a fighter. But Heinkel's rocket data helped Germany build the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet rocket fighter in 1944. The Me 163 had longer fuel time and entered combat against Allied bombers, but it crashed a lot. Rocket planes never became practical fighters after the war.

Variants

He 176 (sole prototype): Single airframe. ~10 powered flights June-September 1939.

Notable Operators

Heinkel Flugzeugwerke (test programme only): Sole user. Test pilot Erich Warsitz flew all powered missions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the He 176 really the first rocket aircraft?

Yes — the first to fly under sustained liquid-fuel rocket power. Earlier rocket-powered aircraft used solid-fuel rockets for limited propulsion (Lippisch Ente 1928 — first manned rocket flight, ~30 second solid-fuel rocket boost). The He 176 was the first aircraft to fly under sustained liquid-fuel rocket power (about 60-second sustained burn). The aircraft is the historical predecessor of all subsequent liquid-fuelled rocket aircraft, including the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet and Bell X-1.

Why was the He 176 abandoned?

Hermann Göring viewed a demonstration flight on 3 July 1939 and decided the concept was impractical for fighter use — the 60-second endurance at full thrust was unworkable for combat operations. The Reich Air Ministry shifted Heinkel's rocket work to engine development; the resulting Walter HWK rocket engines later powered the in-service Me 163 Komet. The He 176 itself was retired in late 1939.

Did the He 176 have an ejection seat?

Sort of — an early prototype of one. The He 176 had a detachable cockpit-jettison system: in case of emergency, the entire cockpit section could be separated from the airframe + descend by parachute with the pilot inside. This was the first emergency-egress system fitted to any aircraft, predating the conventional ejection seat (Heinkel He 219 Uhu, 1942) by 3 years. The system was never used in anger; testing showed it functional but the He 176 was retired before any emergency-egress requirement.

Sources

Wikipedia — Heinkel He 176