| DFS 40 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Experimental Tailless aircraft |
| National origin | Nazi Germany |
| Manufacturer | Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS) |
| Designer | Alexander Lippisch |
| First flight | 1939 |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Lippisch Delta IV |
| Variants | DFS 194 |
The DFS 40 (originally developed as the Delta V) was a tail-less research aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch in 1937 as a follow-on to his Delta IV aircraft.[1] The DFS 40 was a more advanced design than its predecessor, and was built as an alternative to that aircraft.[2]
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.[3]
Specifications (DFS 40)
General 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) [4]
References
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Ethell 1978, pp. 37–40.
- ↑ Ethell 1978, p. 38.
- Ethell, Jeffrey L. (1978). Komet: The Messerschmitt 163. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0827-2.