Heinkel, Ernst

Born Jan. 24, 1888, in Grunbach, Württem-burg; died Jan. 30, 1958, in Stuttgart. German aircraft designer.

Heinkel graduated from the Stuttgart Technical College in 1911. From 1913 to 1922 he worked as chief designer for a number of aircraft manufacturing companies. During World War I he built more than 30 models of aircraft that were used by the armies of Germany and Austria. In 1922, Heinkel founded an aircraft manufacturing company in Warnemünde, which was in existence until 1945. The company produced more than 100 models of aircraft (training, passenger, reconnaissance, bombing, fighter, and others). In 1939, Heinkel built the first experimental jet aircraft—the He–176, which used a rocket engine, and the He–178, which used a turbojet engine. His He-Ill twin-engine bombers were widely used in World War II. In 1950, Heinkel became the head of an aircraft manufacturing company in Stuttgart.