8
$\begingroup$

The image comes from a 1956 Nestle, a chocolate maker, sticker album. 'Maravillas del Universo', serie 1. Chapter has 3 pages, and is entitled: 'The sound barrier', signed by the woman test pilot: Jacqueline Cochran. It indicates it's a Lippisch L-13, but it's not, Lippisch L-13 was a rearwards swept Delta design, with a thick Vertical Fin that included the pilot's cabin, it was tested as a glider. Final version had to use a Ramjet, fueled by burning coal in a rotating basket. YouTube video link.

Drawing from a 1956 Nestle album

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
8
  • 9
    $\begingroup$ Who says it is supposed to be any real-world aircraft? It looks pretty sci-fi to me.... $\endgroup$
    – CGCampbell
    Sep 28, 2015 at 14:57
  • 9
    $\begingroup$ No control surfaces, no (obvious) propulsion system - I doubt anything like this has ever flown more than a ballistic parabola, if it was built at all. $\endgroup$
    – Peter Kämpf
    Sep 28, 2015 at 16:37
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Nestlé seems to mix more things than cacao and sugar. Jacqueline Cochran was American, and the first woman to break the sound barrier on May 18, 1953. It was on a Canadair F-86 Sabre at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In doing that, she succeeded as the fastest woman to Jacqueline Auriol, a French pilot (who regained her title later). $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Sep 28, 2015 at 18:08
  • 14
    $\begingroup$ It might actually be Lippisch L-13... as drawn by someone who knows nothing about aircraft based on a verbal description. $\endgroup$
    – Ville Niemi
    Sep 28, 2015 at 18:49
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ The DM-1, the glider mockup for the Lippisch P13 was subject to extensive testing in the US as early as 1947, so, it can be said with all certainty that the Lippisch Delta design was known when the Album chapter was written, to which extent it was under confidentiality, I don't know, but the flying machine in the stamp has little connection to L-13/P13 a and b, besides somebody attributed it to Lippisch. dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a801410.pdf $\endgroup$
    – Urquiola
    Oct 10, 2015 at 18:33

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
7
$\begingroup$

Alexander Lippisch did develop a similar-looking wind tunnel model, see photo. According to his Errinerungen (memoirs), Page 218, this was in 1943 and it was tested in 1944. Dan Sharp; Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe: Vol. 1 Jet Fighters 1939-1945 (Mortons 2020) shows a couple of photos on Page 219 and says that it marked the start of his delta-winged P.12/P.13 project, including the DM-1 glider which was actually built and flown. But this early wind tunnel model had only a thin central spine, with no cockpit and, like all his delta aeroplanes, was designed to fly apex foremost.

The Lippisch 1933/34 wind tunnel model

The illustration on the sticker or card is, as you note, back to front. Consequently its supersonic performance would be appalling. It is probably based on a photo of the model, with its identification based on remarks about the P.13 (or Projekt 13), but is otherwise total fantasy. Presumably there is no suggestion that the author of the article actually flew it.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Do you have a serial number or name of the Wind Tunnel tested A Lippisch concept you cite? This may help looking for it. About the 'Inverted Delta' Lippisch designs, what I'm aware is about his Ground Effect machines, as X-112. Jacqueline Cochran was author of text in album section including the Sticker above, I don't think she ever flew any Lippisch airplane. Thanks. Blessings + $\endgroup$
    – Urquiola
    Dec 25, 2020 at 22:54
  • $\begingroup$ In his* Erinnerungen* (Memoirs), on Page 218 he gives a photo of it with the caption "Modell für einen Überschallflügel, der schon 1943 entworfen, aber erst 1944 vermessen wurde". It appears to have had no other known identification. Of course the GEV was not intended to fly as such, it was by definition stuck in ground effect. Nor was it a "Lippisch delta" as any aeroplane designer uses the term, any similarity is only skin deep. $\endgroup$
    – Guy Inchbald
    Dec 26, 2020 at 7:54
1
$\begingroup$

According to the air force via wayback machine Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran born Bessie Lee Pittman was the first woman to break the sound barrier in an F-86 Sabre Jet in 1953. Cochran retired from the Reserve in 1970 as a colonel. She received numerous awards, including a Legion of Merit.

The Lippisch aircraft was designed in late 1944 and never built.

This is a case of mixed up facts.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
9
  • $\begingroup$ Why the downvote? All information provided is correct! $\endgroup$
    – mike
    Nov 13, 2017 at 20:49
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ I'm not the downvoter, but my guess is that the reason lays in your first sentence: this is not a direct answer to the question "what aircraft might this be?" $\endgroup$
    – Federico
    Nov 13, 2017 at 20:54
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ @mike we already know what it is not, we are looking for what it is. $\endgroup$
    – Federico
    Nov 14, 2017 at 7:05
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ It's nothing. An artistic drawing from a sticker album. $\endgroup$
    – mike
    Nov 15, 2017 at 13:56
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ To Mike: Which Lippish aircraft you say was never built? The L-13 was built, and flown as a glider, see YouTube, in the version with long cylinder nose, prepared for the Coal burning Ramjet, the previous version, with no air entry, was seized and tested at Langley, with interesting modifications that improved a lot the results, the Airbus 'Sagitta' drone looks very close to the DM-1 version tested at Langley $\endgroup$
    – Urquiola
    Nov 15, 2017 at 14:26

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .