The BMW 003 turbojet powered the Heinkel He 162 fighter, one of Germany's late-World War II jet aircraft.
The BMW 003 was an early axial-flow turbojet developed by BMW during the war. Although development began before that of the competing Junkers Jumo 004, technical and reliability problems delayed the BMW engine's production. The He 162 used the BMW 003E, mounted in a streamlined nacelle above the aircraft's fuselage.
The He 162 was designed as a lightweight emergency fighter for rapid production. Its single BMW engine gave it jet performance, but the aircraft entered service very late and suffered from rushed development, limited pilot training and severe wartime shortages. The engine itself also had a short service life by modern standards.
The most common confusion is with the Junkers Jumo 004, which powered most production Messerschmitt Me 262 fighters. The BMW 003 did power a small number of Me 262 test aircraft, but the Heinkel He 162 was its best-known production application. Roughly 3,500 BMW 003 engines were built.