Alexander Lippisch’s Aerodyne, A Wingless Experimental Aircraft
This funky barrel plane generated propulsion from two co-axial shrouded propellers. Built in 1968, the Dornier Aerodyne was the first, and only, “wingless” VTOL aircraft. Only a few test flights were ever completed in its two-month evaluation period, but all were made without incident. Still, Alexander Lippisch never found a buyer for the aircraft and eventually scrapped the program in 1971. The flight principles behind the Aerodyne are rather simple. The combination of lift and thrust production in a single construction unit and the flow channel, i.e. a ducted fan. Flaps at the end of the fan divert the outflowing air to produce lift, thrust, or a combination of both. As a result, the Aerodyne could be steered and flown in the entire range between hovering and full-forward flight.