In July 1944, the Reich Air Ministry demanded the development of a fast jet aircraft designated "TL-jäger". The Vienna-based Heinkel development office had been working on such a concept since 1943 and was thus able to secure the contract.

The designing and building of this new and revolutionary jet fighter in less than 90 days, under the most difficult of wartime conditions, was certainly a remarkable feat of engineering.

As on December 6, 1944, chief pilot Gotthard Peter, a graduate engineer, took off from Vienna-Schwechat Airport in the He 162 V1 for its maiden flight.

During a demonstration flight before high-ranking Reich officials, the aircraft crashed on 10 December 1944, killing Gotthard Peter.

This prototype aircraft M 23 that was also originated from Heinkel-Süd Production batch is one of 42 He 162 test vehicle produced in Germany from 2 December 1944 to March 1945. Of those 40 were in fact manufactured and was included in the test program.

This particular "Volksjäger", the M 23 test aircraft produced at Hinterbrühlhad an improved wing-fuselage transition and a new wing deployment.

It was ready for flight on 27 February 1945 and flew for the first time on 19 March with the test pilot Gerhard Gieuwitz at its controls.

And later this day this He 162 was making a transfer flight to München-Reim airbase as the Heidfeld base in Austria had to be evacuated due to advancing Soviet forces.

Here it would be found in a hangar by the invading US troops on 1 May 1945. By this time it was in a rather derelict condition, stripped of parts and obviously damage in a air-raid.

Note that this prototype is painted in an overall on the 02 RLM-Grau. Note also the dirty rear fuselage of exhaust dirt and stains from its BMW 003 E turbojet engine.

Please note that during the last week I have been able to make the layout of 110 profiles for Book No 16. This profile and caption (later edited) would be included in this book as Profile No 106..