WarSimBox
Heinkel He 162 A-2 Salamander, the in-game model
1945GermanyFighter

Heinkel He 162 A-2 Salamander

The Heinkel He 162 Salamander was born when, in the last months of the war, a cheap jet fighter was wanted that could be built in large numbers from scarce materials: the “Volksjäger”, the People’s Fighter. Only 90 days passed from design to first flight. It was fast and agile, but hard to fly, and its fuel lasted about half an hour.

A jet in 90 days

Heinkel won the competition opened in September 1944. Siegfried Günter’s small design had its engine mounted on the back of the fuselage and wings made of wood instead of scarce aluminium. The pilot had an ejection seat. The plan was for young pilots with only brief glider training to fly it, but the He 162 was unforgiving even for experienced pilots.

The glue used in the wooden wings caused problems: when the factory making the original glue was bombed, the substitute weakened the wood, and some aircraft broke up in flight.

Heinkel He 162 A-2 Salamander, side view
Heinkel He 162 A-2 Salamander: the in-game model from the side.

The last weeks of the war

He 162s went to a single fighter wing in April 1945 and took part in a few air battles. When the war ended many were captured intact by the Allies and studied.

In WarSimBox

In the game it is a jet fighter in the energy line: fast and agile, with two 20 mm cannon. Its fuel lasts about half an hour, its engine responds slowly to the throttle and it snaps into a spin when it stalls, so it needs careful flying.

Unlocked in the aircraft tree after researching Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a.

Top speed
791 km/h · 8,000 m
Climb
20 m/s
Sustained turn
27.3 s
Stall speed
178 km/h

These figures come from the game’s flight model (climb, turn and stall at sea level).

Fly it in WarSimBox