Heinkel He 176 by Jach

1/72 scale
Kit No. 72102
Retail: $60.00 (out of production)
Decals: None
Comments: Engraved panel lines, injection modeled canopy, photo-etched details

History

In the late 1930s, the Heinkel concern of Germany began work on the world’s first all-liquid fueled rocket-propelled aircraft. All-liquid fueled rocket motors were a progressively better alternative to the solid-fuel offerings of the time concerning their use in aircraft. Foremost on the mind of Ernst Heinkel to break the then-standing world airspeed record which would bring national pride to Germany and notoriety to Heinkel AG itself.

During this same period, Werner von Braun’s rocketry team working at Peenemünde investigated installing liquid-fueled rockets in aircraft. Heinkel enthusiastically supported their efforts, supplying a He 72 biplane and later two He 112 fighters for the experiments. In early 1937, one of these latter aircraft was flown with its piston engine shut down during flight, at which time it was propelled by rocket power alone. At the same time, Helmuth Walther’s experiments into hydrogen peroxide monopropellant-based rockets were leading towards light and simple rockets that appeared well-suited for aircraft installation.

Under the direction of Wilhelm Benz and Hans Regner, work began on a private venture design which became the “He 176.” Starting in 1936, all design work was conducted under a veil of secrecy at the Heinkel Rostock-Marienehe factory. The following year the first drawings of the He 176 V1 (derived from “Versuchsmuster 1” meaning “Experimental Model”) were completed by Hans Regner. The designers set the daunting goal of reaching a blistering speed of 1000 km/h (620 mph). This entailed a number of aeronautical engineering challenges. One of them was a proper wing design able to withstand the pressure of such high speed. For this reason, it had to be designed to be flat, at only 90 millimeters thick, with very sharp leading edges. This in turn caused further problems, as the design would cause the aircraft to stall at low speeds. In addition, the installation of wing fuel tanks would be difficult.

The aircraft would be powered by a refined Walter HWK-R1 rocket engine producing 1,373 lbs. of thrust. Key to its design would be the smallest possible airframe in an effort to delete all unnecessary aerodynamic-defeating protrusions and reduce overall weight. As speeds were projected to be rather intolerable for the feat at hand, the pilot would be seated in a reclined position to counter the effects of G-forces. One of the more interesting design features of the He 176 was its pilot escape feature. As the intended airspeeds to be reached were truly monumental and very new territory, the He 176 was given a completely jettisonable cockpit section.

Testing was conducted under great secrecy and the He 176 was transported to Peenemunde via military escort in June 1938. Just prior to the actual testing, test pilot Erich Warsitz was informed by RLM officials that given the experimental nature of the design, and Warsitz’s valued status as an experienced test pilot, he was advised not to fly the He 176. Warsitz, who was heavily involved in the He 176 project, protested to Air Minister (Reichsluftfahrtministerium) Ernst Udet, who gave him permission to undertake the first flight. After this was settled, there were some delays with the assembly and engine adjustment.

The He 176 prototype was first flown on July 20th, 1939. However, the aircraft’s performance was such that attending German Air Ministry officials were rather underwhelmed by the attempt. The rocket-fueled approach was not held in high regard both for its rather noisy execution and the inherently dangerous nature concerning the combustible fuel (although the RLM would change its tune in just a few years, when the air war situation for Germany was deteriorating and they authorized production of Messerschmitt’s Me 163 rocket fighter to counter Allied bombing raids). A critical factor in the RLM’s indifference was the failure of the He 176 to surpass 435 miles per hour on its maiden flight.

An artist’s image of the planned second He 176 prototype, which bore a passing resemblance to the pre-war Italian Bugatti 100P racer. Featuring improved streamlining and a fully enclosed canopy, it promised superior performance to the He 176 V1.

While Heinkel succeeded in the sense of pioneering manned rocket-powered flight, the He 176 project never advanced beyond this developmental “peak” despite the existence of a second prototype on the drawing board. In the end, the airframe proved too heavy for the intended rocket powerplant, and the wing surface area was deemed too small for the required lift and control at the expected speeds. From then on, the He 176 was relegated to the status of museum piece, and Heinkel sent it to Berlin for public display in 1942. It was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid the following year.

The Kit

Jach’s Heinkel He 176 is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of just 21 parts, three of which are clear plastic for the glazed nose and two small, triangular side windows. In addition, there is a photo-etched fret of 21 parts providing interior details such as seat straps, cockpit instrumentation, rudder pedals, and other external details. The kit features engraved panel lines and basic landing gear. But for the photo-etch, the cockpit is not terribly detailed, consisting of a seat, a floor bearing engraved details and a control yoke.

Markings

As there was a lone prototype of the He 176 and development went no further, no markings are included in the kit.

Conclusion

This kit is interesting as an historical first in manned rocket-powered aircraft. The most intriguing aspect of the He 176, for me, is the second more sophisticated version that never advanced beyond the drawing board, a fully streamlined air frame with a fully enclosed cockpit that triggers thoughts of the Italian Bugatti 100 racing aircraft, and looks more like a true Luft ’46 rocket fighter. Highly recommended.

References

• todayinaviation.com
• militaryfactory.com