18 Facts About Anton Flettner

Anton Flettner was a German aviation engineer and inventor.

Anton Flettner attended the Fulda State Teachers College in Fulda, Germany.

Anton Flettner was the village teacher in Pfaffenwiesbach from 1906 to 1909.

Anton Flettner developed a new method of harnessing the wind: the Anton Flettner Rotor ship.

From 1914 to 1918 Anton Flettner worked at the German Ministry for War in the development of remote controls for air, water, and land vehicles.

At the age of 29, Flettner presented his first invention, a steerable torpedo, to the Kriegsmarine of World War I This, and his next invention, a remote-controlled combat car, which was presented to the Heer, were rejected because they were not considered to be technically feasible.

Anton Flettner came upon the idea while at the beach with his wife.

Anton Flettner used sand, flowing over his rotating hand, to describe the Magnus effect and realized its potential for sail propulsion.

In 1926, Anton Flettner shifted his focus to aviation in founding his own company, the Anton Flettner Aircraft Corporation in Berlin, aiming at the application of the Flettner-rotor as a wing replacement on large wind turbines.

In 1935, Anton Flettner built a German night reconnaissance and anti-submarine autogyro called the Fl 184.

Anton Flettner followed this accomplishment by building the Anton Flettner Fl 185 in 1936, an experimental German gyrodyne, which could fly as both a helicopter and as a gyroplane.

Anton Flettner built his helicopters for the German military, primarily for navy spotter use.

At least two other Anton Flettner helicopters were under development when World War II ended.

Anton Flettner started Anton Flettner Aircraft Corporation, which developed helicopters for the US military.

In 1949, Anton Flettner employed Kurt Hohenemser as a consultant to the Anton Flettner Aircraft Corporation.

Anton Flettner became the chief designer of Kaman Aircraft and many of the Anton Flettner design concepts are found in Kaman helicopters of later years.

Today the Anton Flettner rotor is in operation as a supplemental propulsion system for transport and research vessels.

Anton Flettner died at age 76 in New York City on December 29,1961.