DFS 40
Type of aircraft
title: "DFS 40" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1930s-german-experimental-aircraft", "lippisch-aircraft", "dfs-aircraft", "single-engined-pusher-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1939", "tailless-aircraft"] description: "Type of aircraft" topic_path: "geography/germany" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DFS_40" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Type of aircraft ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | DFS 40 |
| image | [[File:KN Lippisch DFS40 1937.jpg |
| type | 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 |
| :: |
|name = DFS 40 |image =[[File:KN Lippisch DFS40 1937.jpg|300px]] |caption = |type = Experimental Tailless aircraft |national_origin = Nazi Germany |manufacturer = Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS) |designer = Alexander Lippisch |first_flight = 1939 |introduction = |retired = |status = |primary_user = |more_users = |produced = |number_built = 1 |program cost = |unit cost = |developed_from = Lippisch Delta IV |variants = DFS 194
The DFS 40 was a tailless research aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch as the Delta V in 1937. The DFS 40 was a more advanced design than the previous DFS 39 (Delta IV), and was built for comparison with that aircraft.
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.
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.
Specifications (DFS 40)
|ref= |prime units?=met |crew=1 |length m=5.1 |span m=12 |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Argus As 8 |eng1 type=4-cyl in-line piston engine |eng1 hp=120 |eng1 note= |perfhide=y |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists=
References
Bibliography
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.
- Alexander M. Lippisch. "Tailless Tailpiece". ''Air Enthusiast''. September 1972. pp.136-138, 50.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::