The DFS 40 was a tailless research aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch as the Delta V in 1937.[1] The DFS 40 was a more advanced design than the previous DFS 39 (Delta IV), and was built for comparison with that aircraft.[2]
| DFS 40 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Experimental Tailless aircraft |
| National origin | Nazi Germany |
| Manufacturer | Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS) |
| Designer | |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 1939 |
| Developed from | Lippisch Delta IV |
| Variants | DFS 194 |
Where the DFS 39 had a pronounced fuselage with low-mounted wing, the DFS 40 was closer to a flying wing, with the wing-fuselage junction blended so that there was no clear dividing line.[3]
The DFS 40 was flown for the first time by Heini Dittmar in 1938, shortly before Lippisch departed the DFS (Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug - German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight) to begin work at Messerschmitt, taking much of his design team with him. Soon afterwards, without Lippisch there to supervise the project, the aircraft was crashed due to an error in center of gravity calculations that resulted in it entering a flat spin during flight. While the test pilot escaped by parachute, the DFS 40 was destroyed.[4]
Specifications (DFS 40)
editGeneral characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
- Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 8 4-cyl in-line piston engine, 89 kW (120 hp) [5]
References
edit- ^ Alexander M. Lippisch. Errinneruingen (Memoirs). Luftfahrtverlag Axel Zuerl. Germany. Pages: Front endpapers, pp.185-6, 192-3)
- ^ Albert C. Piccirillo. "The Me 163B Komet, Development and Operational Experience". SAE Transactions. Vol. 106, Section 1: Journal of Aerospace (1997), pp. 1828-1845 (18 pages). See p.1829.
- ^ Alexander M. Lippisch. "Tailless Tailpiece". Air Enthusiast. September 1972. pp.136-138, 50.
- ^ Ethell 1978, pp. 37–40.
- ^ Ethell 1978, p. 38.
Bibliography
edit- Ethell, Jeffrey L. (1978). Komet: The Messerschmitt 163. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0827-2.