Today in aviation history – 6th December

On 6th December 1944 there was made a test flight of a German fighter Heinkel He-162 Salamander (Volksjäger). It was designed as a cheap aircraft in order to prevail against allied aircraft at the end of war. He-162 was a one-man high wing achieved maximum speed of 900 km/h and height of 12000 m, its weaponry consisted of two 20 mm caliber cannons. He-162 was a second type of fighter in Luftwaffe during World War II after Me-262. There were manufactured about 300 of He-162, part of which were used at the end of hostilities.