Alexander M. Lippisch Papers, 1900-1990, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

[Richard T Eger]

The following information was posted 27 Feb. 01 on the newsgroup Rec.Models.Scale by Tom Hiett:

"Subject: Alexander Lippisch and the ME 163 Komet
From: thiett@iastate.edu (Tom Hiett)
Date: Tue, Feb 27, 2024 17:51 EST
Message-id: < thiett-2702011651540001@itc60158.itc.iastate.edu >

Alexander Lippisch was the designer of several unusual aircraft, most notably the german Messerschmidt ME 163 Komet rocket powered plane from WWII.

Found out last week that his papers, photos, films, and everything else were donated to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and are available to look through between 8-12 and 1-5 weekdays in the Parks Library Special Collections department. They have over 100 boxes, 19 linear feet! A summary can be found at:

http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS243.html

I have a photocopy of what has been described as the only known photo of a ME 163D. It isn't a very good copy and I hope to make a run over there and take a look at the original soon.

ISU also has a ME 262 engine, along with several other aircraft engines that are worth a visit. They are in Howe Hall, just a block west from the library.

Tom"

Clicking on to the URL above will take you to an extensive cataloging of the Lippisch collection.

In subsequent correspondence with Tom, I learned that the Lippisch family may still have further papers that have not been donated to Iowa State University.

Thanks go to Bob Rinder for the lead.

Regards,
Richard

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 28 February 2024).]

[Richard T Eger]

The following is a letter I received from Tom Hiett summarizing what he found after spending 2 hours going through the Lippisch papers at Iowa State Universtity:

"From: Tom Hiett thiett@iastate.edu
To: egerrt@dmv.com egerrt@dmv.com
Date: Saturday, April 14, 2024 12:28 AM


Hi

Spent two hours and breezed though all the printed 1935-1946 stuff.

Not exactly sure what all I saw. Started out with a Lippisch book- Ein Dreieck Fliegt, in German. Probably the most useful of all the material with stuff on development of the Delta wing from the 30s up through the Komet. Tons of sheets of graph paper with dots and lines and lots of typed and handwritten pages in German. Lots of drawings of weird airplanes. I was only familar with the ME 163, all these others were new to me. Some blueprints for ME 262, POI-116, POI-117, POI-118, POI-119. Some stuff on Li PO5 Intercepter, which it says is similar to ME 163. A triple frame page with photo of ME163A & B, plus P11. It says one place that the Japanes bought manufacturing rights to the Komet but plans and an example were on a sub that sunk. Lots of patent paperwork. Something about the British buying the rights to Lippisch patents for $1.50 and he not getting any of it. Article on test of captured Komet. Some aircraft and model aircraft magazines dating back to 1931. One from 1972 recounts a pilot crashing a captured 163 and it looked to be the best article. I have a copy but have not read it yet. Lippish wrote an accompaning column.

Copy of ME163B Handbook, in German of course, with electric, plumbing, and hydraulic diagrams and a photo of lifting a wing section.

Undoubtably, a few friends would know what some of this stuff is and they will eventually get a peek at it. All the interesting photos (to me) appeared in magazines and articles elsewhere in the boxes so I doubt there is anything startling here.

TomTom Hiett e-mail: thiett@iastate.edu
Designer-Illustrator-Modeler Iowa State University
Check out my vintage race pics at:

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~thiett

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 15 April 2024).]

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Anon
Lippisch material
Mon Feb 24 06:18:32 2024
64.7.162.99

http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manu...243/DELTA.html


for more, replace DELTA.html with GE.html