Aeronautical engineer, born in Munich, Germany. Developer of the first delta-wing aircraft (1931), the Messerschmitt-163A fighter plane, and the Me-163B, a rocket interceptor, he pioneered supersonic flight. Emigrating to the USA as a Defence Department consultant (1946), he founded Lippisch Research Corp (1965) and developed a wingless aircraft called the aerodyne. He also assisted in the creation of award-winning documentaries on flight.
Lippisch was born in Munich, Germany. During his service with the German Army from 1915–1918, Lippisch had the chance to fly as an aerial photographer and mapper.
Following the war, Lippisch worked with the Zeppelin Company, and it was at this time that he first became interested in tail-less aircraft.
Lippisch’s work led to a series of tail-less designs numbered Storch I – Storch IX between 1927 and 1933 (these were not related to the successful Fieseler Fi 156 Storch STOL aircraft of WW2).
Experience with the Storch series led Lippisch to concentrate increasingly on delta-winged designs.
In early 1939, the Reichsluftfahrtsministerium (RLM — “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.
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 Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Wien (LFW), to concentrate on the problems of high-speed flight.
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.
Like many German scientists, Lippisch was taken to the United States 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 jet/rocket design which they proposed as the F-92. In order to gain experience with the delta wing, they first built a jet powered test aircraft, the 7003, which became the first powered delta-wing aircraft to fly. Although the USAF lost interest in the F-92, Convair's experience with the delta-wing design led them to proposing it 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.
From 1950–1964 Lippisch worked for the Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which had an aeronautical division.
When he recovered in 1966, he formed his own research company, Lippisch Research Corporation, and attracted the interest of the West German government.
Lippisch died at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Other Aircraft Designed by Lippisch
Lippisch P.01-111, designed as a competitor to the Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet. Lippisch Li P.04-106, a tailless airplane designed as a competitor to the Messerschmitt Me-329 Lippisch P.11, designed to compete with the Horten Ho-IX; Lippisch P.13a, a unique delta-winged, ramjet-powered interceptor. Lippisch P.13b, a unique airplane powered by a rotating fuel-table of lignite, owing to the fuel shortages late in World War 2 in Germany. Lippisch P.15, a development of the Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet. v • d • e Lists relating to aviation
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