- Born
- Died
- Birth nameErnst Heinrich Heinkel
- After training as a mechanical engineer, Ernst Heinrich Henkel began building his own aircraft in Frankfurt am Main. In 1911 he survived a crash with the first self-built airplane. In 1912 he was hired by the airline "LVG" as an engineer. As chief designer of the "Albatros Works", he earned great recognition in 1914 with the development of the "B II", which was used in the First World War. In the same year he moved to the "Hansa Brandenburg Works", for which he designed numerous seaplanes. In 1922 he founded the "Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke" in Warnemünde. Together with the Imperial Japanese Navy, Heinkel developed a light reconnaissance aircraft that could be launched from ships using a catapult. He also designed a variety of new types of aircraft, such as the first European high-speed airliner in 1932, the "He 70", which became known as the "Heinkel-Blitz".
After Aldolf Hitler came to power, Heinkel, as a member of the NSDAP, concentrated again on building military aircraft. The "He 111", which was initially designed for civilian purposes, began its service early on as a transporter for the Reich Air Force. In 1937 he was appointed military economic leader by Adolf Hitler. In the same year, 1937, Heinkel broke the international aircraft speed record with the "He 119". Heinkel, along with Fritz Todt, Ferdinand Porsche and Willy Messerschmitt, was awarded the National Prize for Art and Science by Adolf Hitler. In 1939, at the suggestion of Wernher von Braun, Heinkel built the first aircraft with a turbine airjet engine, the "He 178", as well as the first rocket aircraft, the "He 176". Shortly after Willy Messerschmitt, Heinkel built the "He 178" in 1939, the world's second jet aircraft that went into series production.
In 1943, the Luftwaffe became Heinkel's main customer, which resulted in the founding of "Ernst Heinkel AG". Heinkel retained the majority shares, but moved to the supervisory board. The workforce of around 50,000 employees consisted primarily of forced laborers and concentration camp prisoners. After the end of the Second World War, most of the factory halls were destroyed. Remaining machines and production facilities were dismantled by the Allies. Heinkel was taken prisoner of war and accused of complicity. It was only at the end of 1948 that Heinkel was classified as a minor and released due to a contact he had with the resistance member Wilhelm Canaris. In 1950, Heinkel dared to make a new entrepreneurial start in Stuttgart, initially with the construction of engines and later with the development of motor scooters.
From 1955 onwards, the "Heinkel Works" built a two-seater cabin scooter, which, due to its aircraft-like design, shaped the streetscape of the post-war period and the economic miracle years. From 1958 onwards, Heinkel built aircraft again in Speyer. However, he was unable to build on previous successes.
Ernst Heinkel died on January 30, 1958 in Stuttgart.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Christian_Wolfgang_Barth
- SpouseLisa Nürnberger(? - January 30, 1958) (his death, 4 children)
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