The Heinkel He 100 was a German fast fighter aircraft that never made it to mass production. It was designed by Heinrich Hertel and Siegfried Gunter in December 1937. The first prototype, the He 100a, flew for the first time on January 22, 1938. This plane was powered by a Daimler-Benz DB-601 engine. It was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane, which was fitted with an all-metal fuselage and low-mounted wings.
The other prototypes were the Heinkel He 100B, 100C and 100D as several of them were made and put to the test. Fifteen He 100D were built. These were armed with a 20mm cannon, set up in the nose, and two 7.92mm machine guns. Despite their fast speed and acceptable maneuverability, the Luftwaffe never adopted them as the Third Reich gave priority to mass production of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 instead. However the Heinkel firm was authorized to offer it to foreign countries; thus, five He 100Ds were sold to Japan and three to Hungary for test.
Specifications
Type: single-seat fighter
Length: 8.19 m (26 ft, 10 in)
Wingspan: 9.42 m (30 ft, 10 in)
Wing Area: 14.50 sq. meters (156.08 sq. ft)
Height: 2.50 m (8 ft, 2 in)
Power Plant: one Daimler-Benz DB-601M, 12-cylinder, 'V' piston engine, which generated 1,175 HP.
Maximum Speed: 670 km/h (416 mph)
Range: 1050 km
Below, the Heinkel He 100 flying over Germany in 1939.
