Lippisch-Ente
The duck was a revolutionary by many constructions of Alexander Lippisch. Originally built as a glider plane in canard - design, however, should be received by a particular pioneer in the story: the first manned rocket flight. The special construction that did without a conventional tail at the stern, was well suited for these experiments.
History
Fritz Stamer has been selected as a pilot since he was Lippisch test pilot for the aircraft. The first manned rocket flight took place on the water summit on 11 June 1928. A first attempt to start on that day failed. The aircraft did not answer and the rocket burned out easily. On the second try Friedrich Stamer flew in the equipped with two solid rocket plane approximately 1.5 km. The launch took place but with a rubber rope. Both equipped with 4 kg of powder rockets were ignited by switches in the cockpit sequentially electrically and delivered for 30 seconds each thrust. A counterweight under the hull resembled the shift in focus by the burning of the fuel. The flight lasted a total of only about 80 seconds.
The third test flight was attempted, both rockets to launch at the same time, however, it exploded one of the missiles and the aircraft caught fire. However, Stamer was from 20 meters height intact land and escape while the plane burned completely. Subsequently, no further attempts have been made with a duck. Aim of these experiments was to develop an alternative starting method for gliders.
The project was funded by Opel. The rockets came from Friedrich Wilhelm Sander, who made numerous experiments with solid rocket propulsion as with Fritz von Opel at the time. Alexander Lippisch later developed, among others, the Messerschmitt Me 163, the first production aircraft missiles.
From then Opel made contact with Julius Hatry to construct with the Rak one another glider specifically for rocket launches.
Replica of the Stamer Lippisch - missile Duck
Members of the German gliding museum with model airplane on the water dome in the Rhön have completed the volunteer performed reconstruction project of the rocket duck in German glider museum on the water summit in September 2007. The replica is now prototypically as the world's single specimen and to visit as a milestone of the water dome history and space in the redesigned rotunda of the museum to the public. The RRG was the Rhön- Rossitten Society.