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Alexander Lippisch

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Alexander Martin Lippisch
Born (1894-11-02) 2 November 1894 (age 132)
Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria
Died11 February 1976(1976-02-11) (aged 81)
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
OccupationAeronautical engineer
Known forPioneer of delta wing aircraft, rocket-powered gliders, ground effect vehicles


Template:Infobox engineer Alexander Martin Lippisch (born 2 November 1894 – died 11 February 1976) was a pioneering German aeronautical engineer renowned for his foundational work in aerodynamics. He substantially advanced the knowledge of tailless aircraft, delta wing configurations, and the ground effect. His career also extended to the United States. Within the framework of the Opel-RAK initiative, he engineered the globe’s inaugural rocket-powered glider.

Lippisch was instrumental in conceiving and developing practical delta wing designs that proved effective in both supersonic delta wing fighter aircraft and hang glider applications. Collaborators who worked alongside him perpetuated the evolution of delta wing technology and the principles of supersonic flight throughout the twentieth century. Among his most notable creations are the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket interceptor and the Dornier Aerodyne.

Early life

Born in Munich, then part of the Kingdom of Bavaria, Lippisch attributed his fascination with aviation to witnessing a demonstration by Orville Wright at Tempelhof Field in Berlin during September 1909. Initially, he intended to pursue a career in art following his father's profession; however, the onset of World War I altered these plans. Between 1915 and 1918, while serving in the German Army, Lippisch gained experience as an aerial photographer and surveyor, which afforded him opportunities to fly.

Early aircraft concepts

After the war, Lippisch collaborated with the Zeppelin Company, marking the period when he first developed an interest in tailless aircraft. In 1921, his initial design to be constructed, the Espenlaub E-2 glider, was built by his associate Gottlob Espenlaub. This project initiated a research initiative that produced approximately fifty designs during the 1920s and 1930s. Due to his increasing prominence, Lippisch was appointed in 1925 as director of the Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft (RRG), an organization focused on glider research and manufacturing.

During this era, Lippisch also created traditional gliders such as the Wien in 1927 and its successor, the Fafnir, introduced in 1930. In 1928, as part of the Opel-RAK program led by Fritz von Opel and Max Valier, Lippisch's tail-first design, the Ente (Duck), was fitted with powder rockets from Friedrich Wilhelm Sander's firm. This made it the first aircraft to achieve powered flight using rocket propulsion. Beginning in 1927, he resumed work on tailless configurations, resulting in a series named Storch I through Storch IX (Stork I-IX), primarily consisting of gliders. Despite these efforts, government and commercial interest remained minimal.

Delta wing developments

Building on his experience with the Storch models, Lippisch advanced what he termed his Delta designs. Similar to the Storch series, these were predominantly tailless aircraft and featured some of the earliest successful delta wing configurations. The Delta I glider achieved its maiden flight in 1931.[1][2][3] This was succeeded by the Delta II and Delta III models.

The powered Delta IV was produced in two versions under the name Fieseler F3 Wespe. Lippisch later classified these as Delta IVa and IVb, while a third variant, known as the Delta IVc, was built as the DFS 39. This line of development directly led to the creation of the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet (discussed in the next section), which Lippisch also identified as Delta IVd.[4]

The Delta V design, realized as the DFS 40, featured a blended wing body layout intended for comparative testing against the DFS 39.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

In 1933, the RRG was restructured into the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (German Institute for Sailplane Flight, DFS), with the Delta IVd and Delta V being renamed as the DFS 39 and DFS 40, respectively. Between 1931 and 1939, Lippisch oversaw five completed designs labeled from Delta I through Delta V.[3]

Later, while employed at Messerschmitt, Lippisch initiated work on a Delta VI model. This design became linked with several Messerschmitt projects; however, its prototype was destroyed during an air raid before completion.

World War II projects

At the beginning of 1939, the Reichsluftfahrtsministerium (RLM, Reich Aviation Ministry) assigned Lippisch and his team to the Messerschmitt facility in Augsburg with the objective of creating a high-speed fighter aircraft powered by the rocket engines then being developed by Hellmuth Walter. The group promptly modified their latest design, the DFS 194, to incorporate rocket propulsion, achieving its maiden flight in early 1940. This milestone effectively validated the technology that later evolved into the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet.

Despite its innovative engineering, the Komet was not an effective combat aircraft, and tensions frequently arose between Lippisch and Messerschmitt. In 1943, Lippisch relocated to the Aeronautical Research Institute in Vienna (Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien, LFW) located in Wiener Neustadt, where he established his own design bureau focused on addressing challenges related to high-speed aerodynamics. That same year, he earned a doctorate in engineering from the University of Heidelberg. Accompanying him was mathematician Hermann Behrbohm, who split his time between this institute and continuing development work at Messerschmitt’s underground facility in Oberammergau, following the February 25, 1944 bombing raids on Augsburg.

Wind tunnel experiments conducted in 1939 indicated that a delta wing configuration was well-suited for supersonic speeds. Motivated by these findings, Lippisch began designing a supersonic fighter powered by a ramjet, known as the Lippisch P.13a. However, by the conclusion of World War II, this project had only progressed to the construction of a development glider, the DM-1.

Significance for delta wing and supersonic flight

Although the Lippisch P.13a never took flight, both it and Lippisch’s extensive research played a crucial role in advancing delta wing designs and supersonic flight theory, particularly for supersonic delta wing fighter aircraft. The delta wing concept introduced by Lippisch demonstrated remarkable stability and efficiency at very high speeds beyond Mach 1.

During the 1950s, government-sponsored programs—such as those supported by the Swedish Defence Act of 1958—aimed to develop fast interceptors capable of neutralizing strategic nuclear-armed bombers like the Tupolev Tu-16 before they could reach their targets.

The legacy of research initiated at Messerschmitt and Lippisch’s bureaus continued through several key figures:

  • From 1946 onward, Hermann Behrbohm contributed to the BEE (French Aerodynamic Research and Development Institute) operating in Emmendingen and Weil am Rhein within the French occupation zone of Germany. His aerodynamic work influenced subsequent French projects such as the development of the Dassault Mirage.
  • Starting in 1951, Behrbohm joined Saab in Linköping, Sweden, where he played an instrumental role in shaping the design of supersonic delta wing fighters including the Saab 35 Draken and Saab 37 Viggen. Collaborating with him was Bertil Dillner, who also contributed significantly to these concepts.
  • In 1967, Dillner emigrated to the United States and began working at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle. His projects included aerodynamic work on the supersonic transport jet Boeing 2707 SST (1967–1972) as well as hypersonic flight dynamics related to Space Shuttle re-entry. Dillner served as chief aerodynamic engineer at Boeing Commercial Airplanes from 1972 until 1981, then advanced to chief aerodynamic engineer for Boeing Defense, Space & Security from 1981 until his retirement in 1988.

Postwar Activities in the United States

Following the conclusion of World War II, Lippisch, along with numerous other German scientists, was brought to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip. His initial assignment was at the White Sands Missile Range.

Development of Ground Effect Vehicles

Between 1950 and 1964, Lippisch was employed by the Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which maintained an aeronautics division. During this period, his focus shifted toward the study and development of ground effect vehicles. This led to the creation of the aerofoil boat research seaplane known as the X-112, which took flight in 1963. Unfortunately, Lippisch was diagnosed with cancer and subsequently left Collins.

After his recovery in 1966, he established the Lippisch Research Corporation and garnered interest from the West German government. This collaboration resulted in prototypes such as the aerodyne and ground-effect craft models RFB X-113 (1970) and RFB X-114 (1977). Despite these efforts, further development did not proceed. Additionally, the Kiekhaefer Mercury company showed enthusiasm for his ground-effect designs and successfully tested one under the name Aeroskimmer; however, they too eventually discontinued their involvement.

Aerodyne Concept

Lippisch designed a VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle he termed an "aerodyne." Its fuselage featured a sizable ducted rotor capable of directing thrust either downward for vertical lift or backward to enable forward propulsion. He collaborated mainly with two firms during its development.

The Collins Aerodyne, developed while Lippisch was at Collins Radio, employed a horizontal-axis rotor with exhaust redirected by large flaps positioned directly behind it. Stability was maintained by a long elevated tail extending from above these flaps.

The Dornier Aerodyne was a more compact drone that took off and landed vertically while rotating horizontally for forward flight.

Neither model advanced beyond prototype stages.

Passing and Enduring Influence

Lippisch passed away on 11 February 1976 in Cedar Rapids. In recognition of his contributions to aerospace engineering, he was posthumously inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 1985.

Selected Lippisch Designs

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named secret
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ducted
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pop1931
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named iowa

External links

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