The Dawn of the Jet Age
On 27 August 1939, just days before the outbreak of World War II, a small, unassuming aircraft lifted off from Rostock-Marienehe airfield in northern Germany and quietly changed aviation history forever. The Heinkel He 178 became the world's first aircraft to fly solely on turbojet power — a milestone that would reshape military aviation, commercial air travel, and aerospace engineering for generations to come.
Origins and Development
The He 178 was developed by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke under the direction of Ernst Heinkel himself, with the revolutionary turbojet engine designed by Hans von Ohain — a young physicist who had independently conceived the concept of jet propulsion. Von Ohain's engine, designated the HeS 3b, produced approximately 4.4 kN (990 lbf) of thrust and was the culmination of years of private research funded by Heinkel outside of official Luftwaffe channels.
The airframe itself was a compact, shoulder-wing monoplane of conventional construction — wooden wings, a steel tube fuselage, and fixed undercarriage — deliberately simple to allow the radical propulsion system to take centre stage. The aircraft had a wingspan of just 7.2 metres and a length of 7.48 metres.
The Historic First Flight
The maiden flight was conducted by Flugkapitän Erich Warsitz, one of Germany's most experienced test pilots, who had already flown the world's first rocket-powered aircraft, the Heinkel He 176, just weeks earlier. The He 178's first flight lasted approximately six minutes, reaching a top speed of around 600 km/h (373 mph) — a remarkable performance for the era.
Despite the historic significance of the achievement, the German Air Ministry (RLM) showed little immediate interest. Officials who witnessed a demonstration flight in November 1939 were reportedly unimpressed, preferring to focus resources on proven piston-engine programmes already in production for the war effort.
Technical Specifications
- Engine: Heinkel HeS 3b centrifugal-flow turbojet — ~4.4 kN (990 lbf) thrust
- Wingspan: 7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
- Length: 7.48 m (24 ft 6 in)
- Maximum Speed: ~600 km/h (373 mph)
- First Flight: 27 August 1939
- Pilot: Flugkapitän Erich Warsitz
- Designer: Hans von Ohain (engine) / Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke (airframe)
Legacy and Significance
The He 178 flew only a handful of times before being retired. The original aircraft was placed on display at the Berlin Air Museum (Luftfahrtmuseum), where it was destroyed during an Allied bombing raid in 1943. No original example survives today, though a full-scale replica is displayed at the Rostock Technical Collections Museum in Germany.
Despite its brief operational life and the indifference of military authorities, the He 178 stands as one of the most consequential aircraft ever built. It proved that jet propulsion was not merely theoretical — it was practical, flyable, and transformative. Within a decade, jet aircraft would dominate both military and commercial aviation worldwide.
For aviation historians, engineers, and enthusiasts, the He 178 represents the precise moment when the propeller age ended and the jet age began.
Further Reading
At Online Aviation Library, we are dedicated to preserving and sharing the technical heritage of aviation history. Explore our growing collection of rare aircraft manuals, engineering documents, and historical publications — from the earliest pioneers of flight to the golden age of Cold War aviation.