Before the war, the Heinkel He 112 had been rejected in favour of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and Heinkel's attempt to top Messerschmitt's design with the Heinkel He 100 failed due to political interference within the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM — Reich Aviation Ministry).
Antes da guerra, o Heinkel He 112 fora rexeitado en favor do Messerschmitt Bf 109, e o intento da compañía de superar o avión de Messerschmitt co Heinkel He 100 fallou debido á interferencia política dentro do Reichsluftfahrtministerium (Ministerio de Aviación do Reich).