Erich Warsitz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erich Warsitz
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| Born |
Erich Karl Warsitz
October 18, 1906 |
| Died | July 12, 1983 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | German |
| Known for | Test Pilot (Rechlin) & Chief Test Pilot (Peenemünde West) - RLM |
| Aviation career | |
| Famous flights | Heinkel He 178, He 176, He 111 & He 112 |
| Rank | Flight Captain, Luftwaffe |
Erich Warsitz (born October 18, 1906, in Hattingen, Germany – died July 12, 1983) was a famous German test pilot in the 1930s. He was a Flight-Captain in the Luftwaffe, which was Germany's air force. He became the chief test pilot at Peenemünde West, a special testing center.
Erich Warsitz made history by being the first person to fly an airplane using a liquid-fueled rocket engine. This happened on June 20, 1939, with the Heinkel He 176 aircraft. Later that same year, on August 27, he also became the first to fly an aircraft powered by a turbojet engine, the Heinkel He 178. These flights were very important for the future of aviation.
Contents
Erich Warsitz's Life Story
Becoming a Pilot
Erich Warsitz was born in Hattingen. He started learning to fly in 1929. He took many courses to become a skilled pilot. He earned different flying licenses, including ones for aerobatics and flying in bad weather.
After finishing his training, he worked as a flight instructor. He taught others how to fly. In 1934, he was asked to join Rechlin, which was the Luftwaffe's main test center. Here, he got to fly many different kinds of new airplanes. This work led him to be part of some of the most important aviation discoveries in history.
Testing Rocket Engines: Heinkel He 111 & He 112
In 1936, Erich Warsitz was chosen by the Reich Air Ministry to work with two very important people: Wernher von Braun and Ernst Heinkel. He was picked because he was one of the most experienced test pilots and knew a lot about technology.
In 1937, he worked closely with Wernher von Braun. Warsitz flew the first tests of the Heinkel He 112 airplane, which had von Braun's new rocket engine. Even though the plane landed roughly and caught fire, it showed that an aircraft could fly well using a rocket engine at the back.
At the same time, the Air Ministry became interested in using rocket boosters. These boosters could be attached under the wings of heavy bomber planes. They helped the planes take off from shorter runways. Once in the air, the empty boosters would drop by parachute to be used again.
Another company, Hellmuth Walter, also developed rocket engines. They used different chemicals than von Braun's engines. Von Braun's engines used alcohol and liquid oxygen and created fire. Walter's engines used hydrogen peroxide and a special chemical to create hot vapors. Both types of engines created thrust and made planes go very fast.
Later flights with the He 112 used the Walter rocket engine. It was more reliable and safer for the pilot. Erich Warsitz flew all these important test flights.
The Heinkel He 176: First Rocket Plane Flight
During these tests, a new type of plane was imagined: the "interceptor". The Heinkel He 176 was built to test this idea. The Air Ministry wanted a fighter plane that could climb almost straight up. It would quickly reach enemy bombers at high altitudes (6,000-7,000 meters). Then, it would attack at high speed and land when its fuel ran out.
The He 176 project was top secret. Heinkel set up a special area in his factory for it. Only a few people were allowed to work on it. The development moved very quickly. Ground tests were done at Peenemünde-West to see how the plane handled on the runway.
Erich Warsitz practiced with the He 176 by making short hops. He felt ready for a real flight. On June 20, 1939, he decided to make the first true flight of the He 176. This was the first time a liquid-fueled rocket plane flew.
The Heinkel He 178: First Jet Plane Flight
Even though the He 176 rocket plane was successful, Heinkel did not get much support from the Air Ministry. World War II was about to begin, and other things became more important.
However, Heinkel secretly continued to develop another plane, the He 178. This small aircraft would later start the "Jet Age." On August 27, 1939, Erich Warsitz made history again. He flew the world's first jet-powered flight in the Heinkel He 178. This plane had a jet engine designed by Hans von Ohain.
Warsitz flew two circuits, then prepared to land. The jet engine responded perfectly. He made a smooth landing and stopped just before the water.
World War II and Later Work
During World War II, Erich Warsitz continued his work as chief test pilot at Peenemünde-West. He also trained bomber squadrons in 1941. He taught them how to use rocket boosters on planes like the Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 88.
In 1942, Warsitz had an accident during a test flight of a Messerschmitt Bf 109. A fuel line broke, and he couldn't fly for a year. During this time, he managed his father's company and started his own business in Amsterdam. His company made very precise materials.
Life After the War
After World War II ended, Erich Warsitz was living in Berlin. In December 1945, he was taken by Soviet officers. They questioned him about his work on rocket and jet aircraft. They wanted him to work with them for five years, but he refused. Because of this, he was sent to a work camp in Siberia.
In 1950, he was able to return home, thanks to the efforts of Konrad Adenauer, who later became the first Chancellor of West Germany. Warsitz then started his own company, "Maschinenfabrik Hilden," which made precision machines. He retired in 1965.
In April 1983, Erich Warsitz became ill. He passed away on July 12, 1983, at the age of 76, in Lugano, Switzerland.
