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The Heinkel HeS 3 (HeS - ''Heinkel Strahltriebwerke'') was the world's first operational
jet engine A jet engine is a type of reaction engine discharging a fast-moving jet (fluid), jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition can include Rocket engine, rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and ...
to power an aircraft. Designed by
Hans von Ohain Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain (14 December 191113 March 1998) was a German physicist, engineer, and the designer of the first operational jet engine. Together with Frank Whittle he is called the "father of the jet engine". His first test unit ra ...
while working at
Heinkel Heinkel Flugzeugwerke () was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight, with ...
, the engine first flew as the primary power of the
Heinkel He 178 The Heinkel He 178 was an experimental aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Heinkel. It was the world's first aircraft to fly using the thrust from a turbojet engine. The He 178 was developed to test the jet propu ...
, piloted by
Erich Warsitz Erich Warsitz (18 October 1906, Hattingen, Westphalia – 12 July 1983) was a German test pilot of the 1930s. He held the rank of Flight-Captain in the Luftwaffe and was selected by the Reich Air Ministry as chief test pilot at Peenemünde We ...
on 27 August 1939. Although successful, the engine had too little thrust to be really useful, and work started on the more powerful
Heinkel HeS 8 The Heinkel HeS 8 (prefix being an abbreviation for "Heinkel Strahltriebwerke 8" - ''Heinkel Jet Engine 8'') was an early jet engine designed by Hans von Ohain while working at Heinkel. It was the first jet engine to be financially supported by ...
as their first production design.


Development

The HeS 3 design was largely based on the HeS 1 but converted to burn liquid fuel instead of hydrogen gas used in the HeS 1. The first HeS 3 design was generally similar to the HeS 1, using an 8-blade inducer and 16-blade
centrifugal compressor Centrifugal compressors, sometimes called impeller compressors or radial compressors, are a sub-class of dynamic axisymmetric work-absorbing turbomachinery. They achieve pressure rise by adding energy to the continuous flow of fluid through t ...
. The compressed air flowed into an annular combustion chamber between the compressor and turbine, which made the engine longer. The first example was bench tested around March 1938, but did not reach the design thrust because a small compressor and combustor had been used to reduce the frontal area."Pioneering Turbojet Developments of Dr. Hans Von Ohain-From the HeS 1 to the HeS 011" Meher-Homji and Prisell, Transactions of the ASME, Vol. 122, April 2000 Max Hahn, from Heinkel, applied May 31, 1939, for a US patent, granted Sept 16, 1941: 'Aircraft Power Plant', US2256198, with the von Ohain design. An improved engine, the HeS 3b, had a 14-blade inducer and 16 blade
centrifugal compressor Centrifugal compressors, sometimes called impeller compressors or radial compressors, are a sub-class of dynamic axisymmetric work-absorbing turbomachinery. They achieve pressure rise by adding energy to the continuous flow of fluid through t ...
. In order to minimise the diameter the widest part of the annular combustor was placed in line with the smaller diameter axial entry to the impeller. At exit from the impeller the air flowed forwards, then turned through 180 degrees to flow rearward through the combustor. The flow was then turned radially inwards to enter the turbine. Although not as compact as the original design, the 3b was much simpler. The fuel was used to cool rear roller bearing, which also preheated the fuel."A Performance Diagnosis of the 1939 Heinkel HE S3B Turbojet" C. Rodgers, GT2004-53014 The engine was completed in early 1939, and was flight-tested under one of the remaining Heinkel He 118
dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact through ...
prototypes. The flight tests were carried out in extreme secrecy, taking off and landing under propeller power, and only flying in the early morning before other workers had arrived. Testing proceeded smoothly, but the engine eventually burned out its turbine. A second engine was completed just after completion of the He 178 airframe, so it was decided to move directly to full flight tests. A short hop was made on 24 August during high-speed taxi tests, followed by full flight on 27 August, the first aircraft to fly solely under jet power. Testing continued and in November the aircraft was demonstrated to RLM officials in hopes of receiving funding for the development of a larger engine, but nothing seemed forthcoming. Hans Mauch later told von Ohain the RLM was in fact extremely impressed, but he was concerned that Heinkel's airframe team did not have the knowledge to undertake engine development. Instead he and Helmut Schelp secretly visited a number of
aircraft engine An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbines, although a few have been rocket powered and in recent years ma ...
manufacturers to try to start programs there. Mauch left his position in 1939 leaving Schelp in command. Schelp was not as concerned about where development was taking place, and immediately started funding Heinkel to produce a more powerful engine.


HeS 6

Work on a larger version, the HeS 6, started immediately, and was tested under a
Heinkel He 111 The Heinkel He 111 is a German airliner and bomber designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development, it was described as a " wolf in sheep's clothing". Due to restrictions placed on Germany after t ...
late in 1939. While successful, raising thrust just above , weight increased from 360 to 420 kg. The diameter of the engines remained too large to directly substitute the planned HeS 30 (109-006) engines on the He 280 fighter, therefore the design was abandoned in favour of the more compact
Heinkel HeS 8 The Heinkel HeS 8 (prefix being an abbreviation for "Heinkel Strahltriebwerke 8" - ''Heinkel Jet Engine 8'') was an early jet engine designed by Hans von Ohain while working at Heinkel. It was the first jet engine to be financially supported by ...
utilizing a straight-through flow combustion layout.


Specifications (HeS 3b)


References


Bibliography

* * * * Lutz Warsitz: ''The First Jet Pilot - The Story of German Test Pilot Erich Warsitz'', Pen and Sword Books, England, 2009, *''Military Turbojet/Turbofan Specifications'

*''Pioneering Turbojet Developments of Dr. Hans von Ohain — From the HeS 1 to the HeS 011'', Cyrus B. Meher-Homji and Erik Prisell


External links


The official Erich Warsitz website (the world's first jet pilot), inclusive rare videos (Heinkel He 178 & HeS 3 turbine) and audio commentaries
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heinkel Hes 3 Centrifugal-flow turbojet engines Heinkel aircraft engines 1930s turbojet engines