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came of the HZ-1 and, although all twelve of | ence and knowledge in France. Heading this __ bers of his group had worked on cutting-edge these platforms were built, onlyone example team was former Austrian SS Lieutenant Dr ramjet and rocket-powered fighter projects, remains in existence: on display at the Army —_ Helmut Graf von Zborowski (1905-1969), who missiles and VTOL designs, believed to Transportation Museum, Fort Eustis, Virginia. controlled BMW’s advanced ramjet and __ include the Heinkel Wespe and Focke-Wulf Athird design fora small personal flying plat-_ rocket development section at Berlin-Span- _ Triebfliigel. Furthermore, they had continued form was the Bensen B-10 Propcopter, which dau until late 1944 when it moved to Bruck- to evolve some of these studies after hostili- used two 4ft (1.22m) rotors, each driven bya miihl near Rosenheim for the remainder of _ ties ceased. McCulloch 72hp (53.6kW) engine. The — the war. Their collective effort soon generated a machine was completed in 1959 and flown Many years earlier Zborowski had studied number of interesting ideas for propeller/ several times, but did not handle welland was at the Aerodynamic Institute in Vienna, along- _jet/ramjet-powered military and civil VTOL abandoned. More recently, Aero-Design & side his close friend Eugen Sanger who _ aircraft, which used compact bodies sur- Development (AD&D) in Israel has built a designed the first spaceplane based on real- rounded by an annular wing that formed the small circular VTOL platform called the Hum- _ istic engineering and sound scientific princi- propulsion duct. This unusual configuration mingbird. It was designed by the company’s ples. In 1934 Zborowski joined BMW in _ provided the same surface area as a typical Managing Director, Dr Rafi Yoeli, and bears a Munich and soon became a senior member conventional wing, while allowing major striking resemblance to the VZ-1 Pawnee. of the company’s management team. weight and dimension reductions, plus AD&D’s intention is to tap into the recre- Amongst the projects he personally super- improved aerodynamics. The annular (ring) ational market with this platform, which has — vised was the Walter rocket engine for the wing appears to have been conceived in 1942 an overall diameter of 7ft 3in (2.2m) and an Me 163B interceptor, a simplified replace- by Werner Herrmann, who worked on mis- empty weight of 254]b (115kg). Quoted per- ment for the V-2 missile, possibly the devel- = — formance includes a range of 31 miles opment ofa radial flow gas turbine (RFGT), (50km), an endurance of about forty-five min- and research into ramjets and annular (ring) utes, a maximum speed of 27mph (43km/h) _ wing concepts. and a ceiling of 8,000ft (2,438m). Much of the Following Germany’s surrender Zborowski DEUTSCHES REICH AUSGEGEBEN AM vehicle is built from composite materials and __ was interned at Prisoner of War Camp 317 28.0KTOBER 1942 the contra-rotating blades are driven by four near Gottingen. He was then released into REICHSPATENTAMY 22hp (16.4kW) reciprocating engines, which French custody and taken to a chateau near PATENTSCHRIFT utilise a digital electronic management sys- Paris where he was extensively debriefed, Nr 726969 KLASSE 62b GRUPPE 40: tem. Considerable attention has been paid to along with many of his colleagues including es yah 162831 XV621 noise reduction and the platform carries an Eugen and Irene Sanger. In 1947 Zborowski emergency parachute for use in the event of _ travelled to Bonn and recruited a team of engine failure. highly skilled scientists and engineers. Mem- Many years earlier Zborowski had studied at the Aerodynamic Institute in Vienna, along- side his close friend Eugen Sanger who designed the first spaceplane based on real- istic engineering and sound scientific princi- ples. In 1934 Zborowski joined BMW in Munich and soon became a senior member of the company’s management team. Amongst the projects he personally super- vised was the Walter rocket engine for the Me 163B interceptor, a simplified replace- ment for the V-2 missile, possibly the devel- opment of a radial flow gas turbine (RFGT), and research into ramjets and annular (ring) ment for the V-z missile, possiDly the devel- a — opment of a radial flow gas turbine (RFGT), and research into ramjets and annular (ring) wing concepts. Following Germany’s surrender Zborowski DEUTSCHES REICH AUSGEGEBEN AM was interned at Prisoner of War Camp 317 23.OKTOBER 1942 near Géttingen. He was then released into REICHSPATENTAMY French custody and taken to a chateau near PATENTSCHRIFT Paris where he was extensively debriefed, Wr 726969 KLASSE 62b GRUPPE 40: along with many of his colleagues including H 162831 X1V/62b Eugen and Irene Sanger. In 1947 Zborowski travelled to Bonn and recruited a team of highly skilled scientists and engineers. Mem- Right: Wartime German patent for Herrmann annular (ring) winged projectile - sometimes called an aerial torpedo. This was produced in 1942 at Peenemiinde and his initial idea was to extend the range of free-fall bombs. European Patent Office Below: Herrmann annular wing design undertaken at Lockheed. Lockheed DEUTSCHES REICH AUSGE 23.0K" AUSGEGEBEN AM 23.OKTOBER 1942 REICHSPATENTAMY PATENTSCHRIFT Nr 726969 KLASSE 62b GRUPPE 40: H 162831 X1/62b CUMMLUM TL io ai LLL SNECMA In the late 1940s a team of especially talented German scientists and aeronautical engi- neers came together as members of the Bureau Technique Zborowski (BTZ). These individuals had worked on some of the Third Reich’s most advanced military aerospace projects and hoped to exploit their experi- Right: Wartime German patent for Herrmann annular (ring) winged projectile - sometimes called an aerial torpedo. This was produced in 1942 at Peenemiinde and his initial idea was to extend the range of free-fall bombs. European Patent Office 138 Below: Herrmann annular wing design undertaken at Lockheed. Lockheed Secret Projects: Flying Saucer Aircraft