The Helwan HA-300; Egypt’s Messerschmitt 

The Second prototype is now in The Egyptian AF Museum in Cairo , and the third is exhibited in the Egyptian Aircraft Factory in Helwan south of Cairo

I think we are watching the next Mark Felton Productions in the works here. Top notch videos.

Messerschmitt: Hey, I'm designing successful aircraft again! German Government: Great, for whom? Messerschmitt: The enemies of Israel. Government: *sighs* Willie, we talked about this...

Yet again you have me, a military nerd, saying “ I had no idea...”. Outstanding work, love your channel.

Another gem from your library Ed. Reminds me of the Folland Gnat. Thanks Ed. I wonder how many of those Buchons appeared in the "Battle of Britain" ?

For sure, Willy Messerschmidt had a gift for designing airplanes!! It's a good looking plane.

Funny that the HF-24 Marut at 7:38 was designed by another German designer of famous WW2 planes; Kurt Tank.

Have to wonder what would have happened if Spain, Egypt and India had created a consortium to hammer out a common aircraft design with export potential. It worked for Panavia and SEPECAT.

Somewhat ironic that the first prototypes used British engines as that is what Spain did to keep its Messerschmits flying

As Spaniard interested on planes... I know this plane. So I can tell that you forgot the first prototype...no the one build by the Egyptians, the one that was made in wood that flew as a glider in Spain, with several problems on handling (impossible to airborne), to improve the model with the jet engine. I didn't know that the project was killed just when was able to start production.

Hi Ed, great content, really like the background info as well as the subject. If you are looking for the subject of another unusual military aircraft how about the F-105H, (I am assuming it had the H label coz G was the last of the conventional line or it might have been given a new designation). Anyway, the F-105H, with an 8 foot increase in wing span, change to a turbofan motor, terrain following radar, (instead of terrain avoidance radar) and changes to the internal bomb bay, was in competition with the F-111, which it lost for reasons you are probably aware. It would have been available to the USAF for one tenth the cost an F-111. Interesting.

Ed Nash there is actually a helwan 300 in the new egyption air force museum you can see it there on full show

Willy Messerschmitt had one hell of a brilliant mind. Ironic (or maybe not?) That his last name means 'Blade Smith.' (Alternatively: knife or sword smith / maker)

Helwan also made a 9mm pistol that was an almost identical copy of a Beretta 1951.. was a great pistol..used to have one.

There is sadly an abandoned fuselage of the HA 200 at the gate of the aerospace department in Cairo University

I watch interview in RT Arabic with one of Helwan Egyptians engineers, he said after the Aircraft becomes success, the soviet union feared that Aircraft could compete their Mig 21 sales, he said we received direct order from the Soviet union authority to shutdown the factory and convert it to civil factory _making kitchen tools_ , that was the major reason why the Aircraft project were fail, I think that aircraft could out perform it rivals of it era.

Fantastic show Ed!!! They just keep getting BETTER! Neat looking plane! You are the best I always look forward to your new offering! Great Job!

It already exsist in the Egyptian military museum of air crafts in cairo Egypt. 🤗

Another excellent video. Looking forward to your video on HAL aircraft. Keep up the good work!

Very good video!!! There is an HA 300 in the Egyptian Air Force museum in Cairo. It doesn't seem to be a mock up... Could it be the Helwann aircraft???

I hadn't heard of this before now! Great video (as usual!)

The Mirage F1 bears a lot of resemblance to this

A very good channel extremely well presented. The Mark Felton comparisons are extremely valid.

I do admire your work, Mr. Nash. I realy do. The pieces of information, and, especially, the angle of view. Your book is incredibly good. I absolutely recommend it to those who are interested in what wass going on a very short time ago in the Middle East. Thank you so much!

Another amazing video and congrats on 20,000 subs

Man its a amazing Channel its my exit from stress

One of my favorites, a neat, mean little bird 💜.

Great video mate! 👍

Thank you Ed! A lovely little plane I had no idea existed.

Bravo! The King of the What Ifs strikes again. Aside from possible 'terminal conditions', the pilot in me wishes the plane could have enjoyed better success.

Another jewel, Mr. Ed.

ME-262 was not the first jet fighter. It was the first to enter mass production. The HE-280 flew 7 months before the 262.

Fascinating. Lots of 'Battle of Britain ' movie aircraft came from the Spanish airforce.

Underneath this video , is your video about Mirage vs. sukhoi.. and i cant help to notice the amount of similarities between the mirage and helwan, even some of the smaller details can be seen in the same place as is the cockpit.

This is a fantastic display of historical schooling and I can't thank you enough Sir. 🇬🇧📚🙏

Reminded me that when I was working for EEV around 1982, a pile of junk on a sales rep's desk turned out to be Russian magnetrons and various radar parts. Egypt were trying to buy spares from us for their Russian radars. I was told that they looked like copies of some of our older models, but the company didn't want to make them. So the Egyptians would have to buy new stuff instead.

As someone already said, once again you made my day! *\0/*

Nice plane, mini mirage/Alpha jet, interesting video.

Can you do about HF Marut?

He is like Mark felton, but for planes.

I know the Egyptian handgun called a "Helwan", and now the fighter plane. ....You've got to figure, that with a massive industrial project, both military and civilian, all centered on one general location....that there has to be about a dozen different Egyptian mechanical products that are known as "The Helwan".

Looks like a Gnat and a MiG-21 got busy. Sharp looking little jet...and clearly old Willi had a thing for spindly outward-canted main gear...😁

Interesting subject matter, an aircraft I had never heard of. Also, better ending, less abrupt.

Great stuff

I am Egyptian , Actually there's one in Egyptian airforce museum

Outstanding work!!!!!! Your knowledge is to be arcane

A sort of mini mirage, delta dart concept. Looks sleek but no doubt would have been weighed down with tanks and ordinance in service.

Very interesting! Cheers!

This is brilliant

Did some of the Messerschmitt engineers go on to Dassault after the HA-300? I'm getting proto Mirage and Etendard vibes from the Helwan. Or is it just convergent design evolution?

Hispano Aviación HA-300. Also HA-500 Alancrán for attack and close air support is a kind of predecesor of the later A-10.

Pic has the Helwan flying over the step pyramid of Zoser at Saqqara. Not important to the video, but the algorithm might want to know.

Has anyone noticed the stark similarity between HA-300 and later MiG-21 configuration? Delta wing, vertical stabilizer with weights on the ends, etc.

Tactical comment to help you grow. Good content and love your voice;)

Great video, slight sound issue

Interesting story, didnt know it...it looks like a mix between an f11f tiger and a mirage 2000....

Absolutely fascinating and great to see the historical and political context. Top notch and literate commentary. Can I humbly suggest a better and closer microphone? Nit-picking I know, because it's a great video.

Looks like a set of MiG-21 wings and tail on a Folland Gnat fuselage. Thank you for posting.

That design would have been ideal for most of the NATO light interceptor projects of the 1960-70s and if it had been built by any major nation it probably would have been a massive commercial sucsess. It compares very favourably with the F5 (a cotemporary design) being faster, having almost double the range, having over double the thrust-weight ratio even with the weaker engine having a vastly superior climb rate and a 3000m higher service ceiling whilst also maintaining a lower wing loading. Which along with the crazy thrust to weight levels indicate potentially a very good level of manoeuvrability whilst having a similar weapons loading. While we will never know what kind of Avionics suite or its upgrade capability. It would have had in every conceivable not just beat the F5, it humiliates it and I'm saying this as someone who really likes the F-5

I was just playing as the United Arab Republic in Millenium Dawn making my own domestic Jet. This is so uncanny...

Looks a little bit like the Folland Gnat which the Red Arrows display team used before the BAe Hawk and I believe was also used by the Indian air force for advanced training and light attack.

It looks a bit like the Hawker Siddely Gnat, but that near-taildragger gear configuration could have come back to haunt them in a heavy landing.

Also, about the guns: was it supposed to have the british aden, or the french defa cannons? And the engine for the third prototype is impressive. 10,000+ lbf thrust in afterburner, compared to f-5's two j85s putting out just 10,000 lbf, also in afteburner, combined.

Thank you

Thank you for the metric!

Tremendous story. Thank you. So - Willy Messerschmidt designed a tiny airframe for a fighter plane...the HA-300. And...in the mid-1930's...he designed a tiny airframe for a fighter plane...the Bf 109. Hmmm. Peace.

I remember reading that the major reason was that it was actually cheaper to buy MiGs than to locally produce Helwans

Thank you 🙏 AGAIN for pulling another aircraft that I have absolutely no knowledge of 👏👏👏....🤔 How does it compare to the Holland Gnat ??

Looks a lot like a Folland Gnat.

Beautiful jet, very futurist looking

My first thought was, a tailed delta version of the Folland Gnat.

Looks like the love child of a match between folland gnat and fairly delta…..and the Hal 24 likewise a love child of hawker hunter and fairly delta.

I’m a Egyptian myself was wondering where did you get all these details? cause we are not known for keeping archives 😅

Good job

Any sensible comparison with the Grumman F11 Tiger and the Folland Gnat apart from the general shape?

MesserschmiTT. There is no letter D in Willie's last name,. Just the way it is written in the Messerschmitt Company Logo that is on-screen at 1:18.

Kapil Bhargava was the test pilot for both, the Helwan and the Indian HF-24 Marut.

Please do the HF-24 Marut.

The Folland Gnat was even shorter than the HA300 - less than 30'.

U should tell into the microphone more. I almost didnt jump outta my bed when this vid played on rotation. MARK FELTON RULES!!!

Makes me think of the Avro Arrow, but more of this aircraft survive.

Talking about promising diminutive jet fighters: Did you already do the Folland Gnat?

Messerschmitt's micro cars, originally based upon designs meant to be useful for War Vet amputees, are actually pretty neat designs, as well. Cool little cars.

Great video as always, but you really need some form of outro.. :)

the Helwan HA-300 is a sexy aircraft design

It looks like someone has shrunk a Mirage 3 in the wash

There's something about this plane that puts me in mind of the Folland Gnat.

and Helwan produced some Bücker 181 Trainers for the EAF

I've NEVER heard of this plane. I heard about the one Kurt Tank designed for the Peron government of Argentina in the 1950s. Pretty much the same thing happened; changing politics, program got killed. They built four of his jets.

An interesting alternative history version of this aircraft would be a German WWII version that was powered by two BMW -003 engines of 4000 lb thrust each

The HA-300 always put me in mind visually of a Folland Gnat with a delta wing.

Didn't Messerschmitt make the "bubble car"?

Messerschmidt went to Egypt, Kurt Tank to India, Dewoitine to Argentina, Max Holste (designer of the Broussard) to Brazil (founding of Embraer) Any other examples of great aerospace engineers moving abroad to support indegeneous programs?

Not Mezherzmit but (harder pronounciation): Mesershmit (with s in "Mes" like in Douglas).

The HA-300 I was going to say, looked like a Delta Dart, or Dassault Marriage. Maybe those designs were inspired by this aircraft!

09:38 A pretty looking machine. If it looks good........👍

​@EdNashsMilitaryMatters >>> 👍👍

Now That’s a plane that looks fast even on the flight line …Yet again a great story … which has led me to wonder ….why they didn’t put a bubble canopy on the 109 ….and is it true the fuselage on the 109 cost 1/3 of the spitfire’s

Oh I’m early, also good video

I sphinx the Helwan was wan hell of a plane.