#27 Hitler’s Favorite Pilot: Hanna Reitsch

During the Second World War, Hanna participated in testing numerous revolutionary German weapons. She helped solve the stability problems of the V-1 rocket (“Vergeltungswaffe,” meaning “retaliation weapon”). Since early rockets had serious guidance issues, a manually controllable version was built, and Hanna was chosen as test pilot. She successfully carried out the flight, and thanks to the data she collected, the Germans corrected the flaws.

She climbed to an altitude of 2,300 meters with Germany’s first helicopter, tested dive brakes, and after the outbreak of war, carried out life-threatening experiments aimed at breaking through British air defense systems.