The Heinkel He 178, a turbojet designed by German engineer Ernst Heinrich Heinkel and piloted by Erich Warsitz makes its first flight. It was the world's first aircraft to fly using a turbojet engine.
The He 178 was a private venture by Heinkel, aimed at testing the turbojet technology developed by Hans von Ohain. Despite its pioneering achievement, the German Air Ministry was not initially impressed and it did not enter mass production. A few years later, Germany would go on to develop the first operational jet fighter, the ME-262. More
