The Delta Wing: History and Development

Lippisch's only book in English.

The Operation Paperclip program imported Nazi scientists and engineers to America so that they could work on post-war aviation and aerospace. Of this talented group, Alexander Lippisch was one of the most acclaimed and certainly one of the most accomplished. An aviation pioneer, his most famous aircraft was the rocket-powered Messerschmitt Me 163.

"Richly illustrated with rare photographs and drawings, this book describes the development of new [Delta Wing] methods, including the calculation of wing profiles, determination of lift distribution, and refinement of aircraft design for higher performance..." Lippisch details his research methods, his experiments, and his use of flying models. His conclusion: an airplane without a tail is equal to and sometimes superior to standard airplane designs.

Cloth over boards; 126 pp; b&w illustrations throughout. Appendix, List of Lippisch-designed aircraft, Bibliography, Index.

Text: English, German (translation)