In practice, this meant that Ernst Heinkel was detained until he sold his controlling interest in his factories to Hermann Göring. In 1942 the government 'nationalised' the Heinkel works. He donated aircraft to Wernher von Braun who was investigating rocket propulsion for aircraft, as well as sponsoring the research of Hans von Ohain into turbojet engines, leading to the flight of the Heinkel He 178, the first aircraft to fly solely under turbojet power by Erich Warsitz on August 27, 1939. He was designated a Wehrwirtschaftführer (~ defence industry leader) by the German government for his commitment to rearmament.Įrnst Heinkel was passionate about high-speed flight, and was keen on exploring alternative forms of aircraft propulsion.

This included the Heinkel He 59, the Heinkel He 115 and the Heinkel He 111. He was the first European to design a plane using American advances in streamlined transport airplane design.Īfter Adolf Hitler came to power, designs by Heinkel's firm formed a vital part of the Luftwaffe's growing strength in the years leading up to the Second World War. Ernst Heinkel designed and built the seaplane catapult used on the Atlantic liner Bremen in 1927. He founded his own firm in 1922, making principally seaplanes.

In 1921, Ernst Heinkel was appointed head designer of the recently re-established Caspar-Werke, but soon left after a dispute over ownership of a design. He gained employment at Luft-Verkehrs Gesellschaft (LVG), who were building Farman aircraft. (age 70) Grünbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, GermanyĪfter working as a designer under Franz Schneider, Ernst Heinkel joined the Albatros Company, leaving in 1914 to become chief designer and technical director of the Hansa-und-Brandenburgischen Flugzeugwerke.

Stormy Life by Ernst Heinkel