One of the most important events in aviation history took place on 27 August 1939: the first flight anywhere in the world of a true jet-powered aircraft, the experimental He 178. Designed and built through a private initiative at the Heinkel airplane works in Warnemünde, what made the 178 extraordinary was not the aircraft itself, but rather its revolutionary powerplant conceived and designed by the young physicist Hans von Ohain, an engine that heralded a new age in aviation. Ohain deserves credit for making the first flight-worthy jet turbine engine in the world a reality.
The work took place in total secrecy, without any official contract agreement. The He 178, which would take its place as a museum piece before long, led to the twin-engine He 280 fighter jet. Although the 280 never made it to full-scale production, jet turbine development remained a solid fixture at Heinkel aircraft works until the end of World War II. Along with a series of experimental power units, many pioneering projects were carried out at Heinkel, such as the first bypass turbine.
