Editing Heinkel He 100 (section)

=== Design phase ===
[[File:800px-Истребитель He 100 в НИИ ВВС 1940.jpg|thumb|Heinkel He 100]]
In order to get the promised performance the design included a number of drag-reducing features. The [[landing gear]] (including the tailwheel) was retractable and completely enclosed in flight.

There was also a serious shortage of advanced aero engines in Germany during the late 1930s. The He 100 used the same [[Daimler-Benz DB 601]] engine as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110, and there was insufficient capacity to support another aircraft using the same engine. The only available alternative engine was the [[Junkers Jumo 211]], and Heinkel was encouraged to consider its use in the He 100. However, the early Jumo 211 then available did not use a pressurized cooling system, and it was therefore not suitable for the He 100's [[Radiator (engine cooling)#Evaporative cooling|evaporative cooling]] system. Furthermore, a Jumo 211-powered He 100 would not have been able to outperform the contemporary DB 601-powered Bf 109 because the [[supercharger]] on the early Jumo 211 was not fully shrouded. In order to reduce weight and frontal area, the engine was mounted directly to the forward [[fuselage]], which was strengthened and literally tailored to the DB 601, as opposed to conventional mounting on engine bearers. The [[cowling]] was very tight-fitting, and as a result the aircraft has something of a slab-sided appearance.

In order to provide as much power as possible from the DB 601, [[exhaust ejector]]s were used to provide a small amount of additional thrust. The supercharger inlet was moved from the normal position on the side of the cowling to a location in the [[leading edge]] of the left wing. Although cleaner-looking, the long, curved induction pipe most probably negated any benefit.