Alexander Lippisch
Encyclopedia
Alexander Martin Lippisch (November 2, 1894 – February 11, 1976) was a German
pioneer of aerodynamics
. He made important contributions to the understanding of flying wing
s, delta wing
s and the ground effect
. His most famous design is the Messerschmitt Me 163
rocket-powered interceptor.
Lippisch was born in Munich
, Kingdom of Bavaria
. He later recalled that his interest in aviation stemmed from a demonstration conducted by Orville Wright
, over Tempelhof Field
in Berlin
, in September 1909. Nonetheless, he planned to follow his father’s footsteps into art school. The outbreak of World War I
intervened. During his service with the German Army from 1915–1918, Lippisch had the chance to fly as an aerial photographer and mapper.
, and it was at this time that he first became interested in tail-less aircraft. In 1921 his first such design would reach production in as the Lippisch-Espenlaub E-2 glider, built by Gottlob Espenlaub
. This was the beginning of a research programme that would result in some fifty designs throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Lippisch’s growing reputation saw him appointed the director of the Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft
(RRG), a glider research group.
Lippisch’s work led to a series of tail-less designs numbered Storch I – Storch IX (Stork I-IX) between 1927 and 1933 (these were not related to the successful Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
STOL aircraft of World War II). These designs attracted little interest from the government and private industry. Nonetheless, it was during this time that Lippisch’s Ente (Duck) became the first aircraft to fly under rocket
power.
Experience with the Storch series led Lippisch to concentrate increasingly on delta-winged
designs. The Delta I was the world's first tailless delta wing aircraft to actually fly (in 1931). This interest resulted in five aircraft, numbered Delta I – Delta V, which were built between 1931 and 1939. In 1933, RGG had been reorganised into the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (German Institute for Sailplane Flight, DFS) and the Delta IV and Delta V were designated as the DFS 39 and DFS 40
respectively.
, Reich Aviation Ministry) transferred Lippisch and his team to work at the Messerschmitt
factory, in order to design a high-speed fighter aircraft
around the rocket engines then under development by Hellmuth Walter
. The team quickly adapted their most recent design, the DFS 194, to rocket power, the first example successfully flying in early 1940. This was the direct ancestor of what would become the Messerschmitt Me 163
Komet.
Although technically novel, the Komet did not prove to be a successful weapon, and friction between Lippisch and Messerschmitt was frequent. In 1943, Lippisch transferred to Vienna’s Aeronautical Research Institute (Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien, LFW), to concentrate on the problems of high-speed flight. That same year, he was awarded a doctoral degree in engineering by the University of Heidelberg.
Wind tunnel
research in 1939 had suggested that the delta wing was a good choice for supersonic
flight, and Lippisch set to work designing a supersonic, ramjet
-powered fighter, the Lippisch P.13a
(wartime test footage). By the time the war ended, however, the project had only advanced as far as a development glider, the DM-1
.
after the war under Operation Paperclip
. Advances in jet engine design
were making Lippisch's ideas more practical, and Convair
became interested in a hybrid (mixed power) jet/rocket design which they proposed as the F-92. In order to gain experience with the delta wing handling at high speeds, they first built a test aircraft, the 7002, which became the first jet-powered delta-wing aircraft to fly on June 9, 1948. Although the USAF lost interest in the F-92, the next test model 7003 was designated the XF-92A. This led Convair to proposing delta wing for most of their projects through the 1950s and into the 1960s, including the F-102 Delta Dagger
, F-106 Delta Dart
and B-58 Hustler
.
, which had an aeronautical division. It was during this time that his interest shifted toward ground effect craft. The results were an unconventional VTOL
aircraft (an aerodyne
) and an aerofoil boat research seaplane X-112, flown in 1963. However, Lippisch contracted cancer
, and resigned from Collins.
When he recovered in 1966, he formed his own research company, Lippisch Research Corporation, and attracted the interest of the West German government. Prototypes for both the aerodyne and the ground-effect craft RFB X-113 (1970) then RFB X-114 (1977) were built, but no further development was undertaken. The Kiekhaefer Mercury
company was also interested in his ground-effect craft and successfully tested one of his designs as the Aeroskimmer, but also eventually lost interest.
Lippisch died in Cedar Rapids
on February 11, 1976.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
pioneer of aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
. He made important contributions to the understanding of flying wing
Flying wing
A flying wing is a tailless fixed-wing aircraft which has no definite fuselage, with most of the crew, payload and equipment being housed inside the main wing structure....
s, delta wing
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
s and the ground effect
Ground effect
As it pertains to fixed wing aircraft, "ground effect" refers to the increased lift and decreased drag that an aircraft airfoil or wing generates when an aircraft is about one wingspan's length or less over the ground...
. His most famous design is the Messerschmitt Me 163
Messerschmitt Me 163
The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, designed by Alexander Lippisch, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt...
rocket-powered interceptor.
Lippisch was born in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
. He later recalled that his interest in aviation stemmed from a demonstration conducted by Orville Wright
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
, over Tempelhof Field
Tempelhof International Airport
Berlin Tempelhof Airport was an airport in Berlin, Germany, situated in the south-central borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. The airport ceased operating in 2008 in the process of establishing Schönefeld as the sole commercial airport for Berlin....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, in September 1909. Nonetheless, he planned to follow his father’s footsteps into art school. The outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
intervened. During his service with the German Army from 1915–1918, Lippisch had the chance to fly as an aerial photographer and mapper.
Tailless aircraft
Following the war, Lippisch worked with the Zeppelin CompanyLuftschiffbau Zeppelin
Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH is a German company which, during the early 20th century, was a leader in the design and manufacture of rigid airships, specifically of the Zeppelin type. The company was founded by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin...
, and it was at this time that he first became interested in tail-less aircraft. In 1921 his first such design would reach production in as the Lippisch-Espenlaub E-2 glider, built by Gottlob Espenlaub
Gottlob Espenlaub
Gottlob Espenlaub , nicknamed Espe, was an inventor who specialized in early types of aircraft, specifically gliders and rocket propulsion systems designed for them. He invented a number of different aircraft, focusing on tailless designs...
. This was the beginning of a research programme that would result in some fifty designs throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Lippisch’s growing reputation saw him appointed the director of the Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft
Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft
The Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft or Rhön-Rossitten Society was a German gliding organization, the first one in the world that was officially recognised...
(RRG), a glider research group.
Lippisch’s work led to a series of tail-less designs numbered Storch I – Storch IX (Stork I-IX) between 1927 and 1933 (these were not related to the successful Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
Fieseler Fi 156
The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a small German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II, and production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market...
STOL aircraft of World War II). These designs attracted little interest from the government and private industry. Nonetheless, it was during this time that Lippisch’s Ente (Duck) became the first aircraft to fly under rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
power.
Experience with the Storch series led Lippisch to concentrate increasingly on delta-winged
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
designs. The Delta I was the world's first tailless delta wing aircraft to actually fly (in 1931). This interest resulted in five aircraft, numbered Delta I – Delta V, which were built between 1931 and 1939. In 1933, RGG had been reorganised into the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (German Institute for Sailplane Flight, DFS) and the Delta IV and Delta V were designated as the DFS 39 and DFS 40
DFS 40
The DFS 40 was a tail-less research aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch in 1937 as a follow-on to his Delta IV aircraft...
respectively.
War projects
In early 1939, the Reichsluftfahrtsministerium (RLMReich Air Ministry
thumb|300px|The Ministry of Aviation, December 1938The Ministry of Aviation was a government department during the period of Nazi Germany...
, Reich Aviation Ministry) transferred Lippisch and his team to work at the Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
factory, in order to design a high-speed fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
around the rocket engines then under development by Hellmuth Walter
Hellmuth Walter
Hellmuth Walter was a German engineer who pioneered research into rocket engines and gas turbines...
. The team quickly adapted their most recent design, the DFS 194, to rocket power, the first example successfully flying in early 1940. This was the direct ancestor of what would become the Messerschmitt Me 163
Messerschmitt Me 163
The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, designed by Alexander Lippisch, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt...
Komet.
Although technically novel, the Komet did not prove to be a successful weapon, and friction between Lippisch and Messerschmitt was frequent. In 1943, Lippisch transferred to Vienna’s Aeronautical Research Institute (Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien, LFW), to concentrate on the problems of high-speed flight. That same year, he was awarded a doctoral degree in engineering by the University of Heidelberg.
Wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
research in 1939 had suggested that the delta wing was a good choice for supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
flight, and Lippisch set to work designing a supersonic, ramjet
Ramjet
A ramjet, sometimes referred to as a stovepipe jet, or an athodyd, is a form of airbreathing jet engine using the engine's forward motion to compress incoming air, without a rotary compressor. Ramjets cannot produce thrust at zero airspeed and thus cannot move an aircraft from a standstill...
-powered fighter, the Lippisch P.13a
Lippisch P.13a
The Lippisch P.13a was an experimental ramjet-powered delta wing interceptor aircraft designed in late 1944 by Dr. Alexander Lippisch for Nazi Germany...
(wartime test footage). By the time the war ended, however, the project had only advanced as far as a development glider, the DM-1
Lippisch DM-1
|-References:-External links:*...
.
Post war, in US
Like many German scientists, Lippisch was taken to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the war under Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
. Advances in jet engine design
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
were making Lippisch's ideas more practical, and Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
became interested in a hybrid (mixed power) jet/rocket design which they proposed as the F-92. In order to gain experience with the delta wing handling at high speeds, they first built a test aircraft, the 7002, which became the first jet-powered delta-wing aircraft to fly on June 9, 1948. Although the USAF lost interest in the F-92, the next test model 7003 was designated the XF-92A. This led Convair to proposing delta wing for most of their projects through the 1950s and into the 1960s, including the F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
, F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
and B-58 Hustler
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
.
Ground Effect
From 1950–1964, Lippisch worked for the Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, which had an aeronautical division. It was during this time that his interest shifted toward ground effect craft. The results were an unconventional VTOL
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
aircraft (an aerodyne
Aerodyne
Aerodyne may refer to:*Heavier-than-air aircraft, deriving lift from dynamic motion through the air.*The Fender Aerodyne Telecaster, a contemporary model of the classic Fender Telecaster Electric guitar....
) and an aerofoil boat research seaplane X-112, flown in 1963. However, Lippisch contracted cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, and resigned from Collins.
When he recovered in 1966, he formed his own research company, Lippisch Research Corporation, and attracted the interest of the West German government. Prototypes for both the aerodyne and the ground-effect craft RFB X-113 (1970) then RFB X-114 (1977) were built, but no further development was undertaken. The Kiekhaefer Mercury
Mercury Marine
Mercury Marine, founded in 1939, is a division of Brunswick of Lake Forest, Illinois, in the United States. Mercury provides engines for private, commercial and government sales. Mercury also has its own line of very successful racing engines tailored for power and speed. The company's primary...
company was also interested in his ground-effect craft and successfully tested one of his designs as the Aeroskimmer, but also eventually lost interest.
Lippisch died in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
on February 11, 1976.
Some Lippisch designs
- Lippisch SG-38 Zögling, 1926
- Lippisch P.01-111, designed as a competitor to the MesserschmittMesserschmittMesserschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
Me-163 Komet - Lippisch Li P.04, a tailless airplane designed as a competitor to the Messerschmitt Me 329Messerschmitt Me 329|-See also:-References:*Luftwaffe Secret Projects - Ground Attack & Special Purpose Aircraft, D. Herwig & H. Rode, ISBN 1-85780-150-4*...
- Lippisch Li P.10, 1942 tailess bomber design
- Lippisch P.11, designed to compete with the HortenHorten brothersWalter Horten and Reimar Horten , sometimes credited as the Horten Brothers, were German aircraft pilots and enthusiasts, and members of the Hitler Youth and Nazi party...
Ho-IXHorten Ho 229The Horten H.IX, RLM designation Ho 229 was a late–World War II prototype fighter/bomber designed by Reimar and Walter Horten and built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik...
; the latter went on to become the Horten (Gotha) Ho-(Go-)229. - Lippisch Li P.13, 1943 push-pull bomber design
- Lippisch P.13aLippisch P.13aThe Lippisch P.13a was an experimental ramjet-powered delta wing interceptor aircraft designed in late 1944 by Dr. Alexander Lippisch for Nazi Germany...
, a unique delta-winged, ramjet-powered interceptor. - Lippisch P.13bLippisch P.13bThe Lippisch P.13b was a World War II German ramjet powered fighter aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch. Designed in December 1944, the P.13b was a further development of the similarly delta-winged Lippisch P.13a, which was also a ramjet fighter. The cockpit was located in the nose of the...
, a unique airplane powered by a rotating fuel-table of lignite, owing to the fuel shortages late in World War 2World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Germany. - Lippisch P.15Lippisch P.15The Lippisch P.15 was a proposed World War II German fighter aircraft. Alexander Lippisch designed it after inspecting the new Heinkel He 162 which he thought could be improved. The redesigned He 162 composed of the nose section of the Heinkel 162, the wings and tail of the Me 163C, a newly...
, a development of the Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet.