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Heinkel He 280

Fighter · Germany · WWII (1939–1945)

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The Heinkel He 280 was a German experimental twin-jet single-seat fighter — the world's first jet aircraft designed as a fighter (the He 178 was designed as a research aircraft only) and the second-ever twin-jet aircraft to fly. Robert Lusser designed the He 280 at Heinkel Wien in 1939-1941; the prototype first flew under turbojet power on 30 March 1941 — 9 months before the Messerschmitt Me 262's first jet flight. Only 9 He 280 airframes were built. The aircraft was abandoned in 1943 after the Reich Air Ministry selected the Me 262 over the He 280.

The He 280 used two Heinkel HeS 8A turbojet engines (~600 kgf thrust each in early production, ~840 kgf in later variants). Maximum speed 817 km/h, range 700 km, service ceiling 11,400 m. Armament: 3 × 20 mm MG 151 cannons. Crew: 1. The aircraft was a small twin-engine all-metal monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear and a fully-enclosed cockpit fitted with a compressed-air-driven ejection seat — the second ever in-service ejection seat (after the He 219's).

He 280 development was hampered by HeS 8 engine development delays. The first prototype flew on glider tow on 22 September 1940 (before jet engines were ready); the first jet-powered flight was 30 March 1941. The engines proved unreliable; subsequent He 280 prototypes used Junkers Jumo 004 + Argus pulsejets in several combinations. The Reich Air Ministry comparative-evaluation flight on 25 April 1943 between He 280 and Me 262 favoured the Me 262 due to its longer range + simpler maintenance; the He 280 programme was cancelled later that year. One He 280 ejection-seat test event (on 13 January 1942 by test pilot Helmut Schenk) was the first successful in-air emergency ejection in aviation history. No He 280 airframes survive.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Heinkel He 280 was the world's first jet fighter design. It first flew under jet power on March 30, 1941, 9 months before the famous Me 262. Only 9 He 280s were built. The Reich Air Ministry chose the Me 262 over the He 280 in 1943, ending the program.

The He 280 is 34 feet long with a 40-foot wingspan, longer than a school bus. Two Heinkel HeS 8 turbojet engines each made 600 to 840 pounds of thrust. Top speed is 508 mph, faster than most race cars. The plane has three 20mm cannons in the nose.

The He 280 has a unique feature: the world's first ejection seat for emergency escape. On January 13, 1942, test pilot Helmut Schenk became the first pilot ever to safely eject from a damaged aircraft. The He 280's iced-over controls had frozen, and Schenk used the ejection seat to escape.

The He 280 was a better design than the Me 262 in some ways. But the HeS 8 engine had years of delay, and the Junkers Jumo 004 (Me 262's engine) was ready sooner. By 1943, Germany picked the Me 262 because its engine was working. The He 280 was abandoned, an early jet fighter that almost made it.

Fun Facts

The He 280 was the world's first jet fighter design.
First jet flight was March 30, 1941, 9 months before the Me 262.
Only 9 He 280s were built.
The He 280 is 34 feet long, longer than a school bus.
Top speed is 508 mph, faster than most race cars.
The He 280 had the world's first ejection seat.
Helmut Schenk made the world's first emergency ejection on January 13, 1942.

Kids’ Questions

What is an ejection seat?

An ejection seat is a special pilot seat that launches the pilot out of the plane in emergencies. Compressed air or a small rocket pushes the seat (with the pilot) up and out of the cockpit. A parachute opens, and the pilot lands safely. Ejection seats save thousands of pilots every year. The He 280 had the first ejection seat ever used in an emergency.

Why pick the Me 262?

The Me 262 and He 280 were both good jet fighters, but the Me 262's Jumo 004 engine was ready years earlier than the He 280's HeS 8 engine. The German Air Ministry needed working jets in combat, not promising designs without engines. By 1943, the Me 262 was almost ready while the He 280 still had no reliable engine. So the Me 262 won and the He 280 was abandoned.

What happened to Helmut Schenk?

On January 13, 1942, test pilot Helmut Schenk was towing a He 280 behind a Bf 110 when his ice-covered controls froze. He could not steer the plane and faced certain crash. Schenk pulled the ejection lever; compressed air shot him out of the cockpit, his parachute opened, and he landed safely. He was the first human ever to use an ejection seat. He survived and continued test flying.

Variants

He 280 V1-V9 (all 9 prototypes): Test prototypes only. Various engine combinations (HeS 8A, HeS 30, Jumo 004, Argus pulsejets) tested 1940-1943.

Notable Operators

Heinkel Flugzeugwerke (test programme only): Sole user. ~150 test flights between 1940 and 1943. No combat deployment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the He 280 the first jet fighter?

Yes — the first aircraft designed as a jet fighter. The He 178 (1939) was a research aircraft; the He 280 (1940-1941) was the first jet fighter design. The Gloster Meteor (1943 first flight) was Britain's first jet fighter. The Messerschmitt Me 262 (1941 first jet flight, 1944 service entry) was the first jet fighter to enter in-service combat service. The He 280 was abandoned before in-service service so the Me 262 received the in-service-fighter laurels.

Was the first in-air ejection from an He 280?

Yes — on 13 January 1942 by test pilot Helmut Schenk. Schenk's He 280 V1 prototype suffered ice-accumulation that disabled flight controls during a Heinkel ground-tug-launched test flight. Schenk fired the compressed-air-driven ejection seat at 7,800 m altitude and survived by parachute. This was the world's first successful in-air emergency ejection — predating the next confirmed ejection (Saab J 21A test pilot Ernst Sopp Larrson in 1946) by 4 years.

Why did the Luftwaffe choose the Me 262 over the He 280?

The April 1943 comparative evaluation favoured the Me 262 due to longer range (1,050 km vs. 700 km), simpler maintenance, and the Reich Air Ministry's preference for Messerschmitt's industrial capacity over Heinkel's. The He 280's HeS 8A engines also proved less reliable than the Me 262's Junkers Jumo 004 engines. Heinkel's later focus shifted to the He 162 Volksjäger emergency-fighter programme.

Sources

Wikipedia — Heinkel He 280