Alexander Baumann (aeronautical engineer)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Baumann was a German aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer. He is credited with being the first full professor of aeronautical engineering in aviation history as the Chair of Airship Aviation, Flight Technology, and Motor Vehicles at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stuttgart
in 1911.
, Germany
. He studied mechanical engineering
at the Technische Hochschule (TH) Stuttgart, graduating in 1899 as a "state construction supervisor" (Regierungsbauführer). His first job was an engineer for a machine company (Sächsische Machinenfabrik) in Chemnitz
, followed by a stint with Dresdner Machinenfabrik und Schiffswerft in Neustadt in Sachsen
.
to teach engineering. He became an instructor at the Physical-Technical Reichs Establishment in Charlottenburg
in 1908. In the five years following the powered flight by the Wright Brothers
in 1903, Baumann received patents for several flying machine designs, flight control mechanisms, and slotted wings.
In 1910 Baumann began lecturing on aeronautics at TH Stuttgart, and his reputation brought him to the attention of Graf
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
. Zeppelin headed a foundation that raised 59,000 gold marks
to establish a chair in aeronautical engineering at TH Stuttgart, and Baumann became the first holder of this chair later that year.
From his position, Baumann acquired a Wright Flyer
from the Wright Brothers in 1912, and was a founding member of the Scientific Aeronautical Society of Stuttgart, a forerunner of the DGLR
(German Society for Air and Space Flight). With the German manufacturer Gmbh Freytag, Baumann developed, constructed and tested a biplane of his own design.
In 1913 he had published a two-volume textbook, Mechanische Grundlagen des Flugzeugbaues ("Mechanical Basis of Aeronautical Engineering"), that became a standard reference for the next decade.
brought Baumann into the Versuchsbau Gotha-Ost (VGO) consortium to design, develop, manufacture and test Riesenflugzeug ("giant aircraft") R-bombers
, a type to be larger than the Gotha G
bombers. The first Riesenflugzeug built was the VGO.I in April 1915. Baumann, an expert in light-weight construction techniques, placed the four engines in nacelles mounted between the upper and lower wing decks to distribute the loads to save weight in the wing spars.
The follow-on VGO.III prototype, a 3-engine open cockpit bomber, produced greater power and validated the soundness of the basic design. Baumann designed and developed three successors, including the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI, which became the largest bomber produced in quantity by the Germans in World War I.
For his achievements, Baumann was awarded the Royal-Württemberg Wilhelm Cross without Swords (Königlich-Württembergisches Wilhelmkreuz ohne Schwerter) in 1917.
in Nagoya, Japan
, working with Nobushiro Nakata (chief designer) and Satsuo Tokunaga. Baumann designed three early Japanese military aircraft, the 2MR1 Tobi carrier reconnaissance plane, the experimental 2MB2 Washi (Eagle) light bomber and the 1MF2 Hayabusa ("Peregrine Falcon") fighter.
Baumann returned to Germany and died in Stuttgart on March 23, 1928, of lung cancer.
University of Stuttgart
The University of Stuttgart is a university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized in 10 faculties....
in 1911.
Education and training
Alexander Baumann was born in HeilbronnHeilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He studied mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
at the Technische Hochschule (TH) Stuttgart, graduating in 1899 as a "state construction supervisor" (Regierungsbauführer). His first job was an engineer for a machine company (Sächsische Machinenfabrik) in Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
, followed by a stint with Dresdner Machinenfabrik und Schiffswerft in Neustadt in Sachsen
Neustadt in Sachsen
Neustadt in Sachsen is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Czech Republic, 35 km east of Dresden , and 23 km southwest of Bautzen...
.
Teaching career
In 1902 Baumann moved to ZwickauZwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
to teach engineering. He became an instructor at the Physical-Technical Reichs Establishment in Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
in 1908. In the five years following the powered flight by the Wright Brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
in 1903, Baumann received patents for several flying machine designs, flight control mechanisms, and slotted wings.
In 1910 Baumann began lecturing on aeronautics at TH Stuttgart, and his reputation brought him to the attention of Graf
Graf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was a German general and later aircraft manufacturer. He founded the Zeppelin Airship company...
. Zeppelin headed a foundation that raised 59,000 gold marks
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
to establish a chair in aeronautical engineering at TH Stuttgart, and Baumann became the first holder of this chair later that year.
From his position, Baumann acquired a Wright Flyer
Wright Flyer
The Wright Flyer was the first powered aircraft, designed and built by the Wright brothers. They flew it four times on December 17, 1903 near the Kill Devil Hills, about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, U.S.The U.S...
from the Wright Brothers in 1912, and was a founding member of the Scientific Aeronautical Society of Stuttgart, a forerunner of the DGLR
Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft
The Hermann Oberth society is an association named after Hermann Oberth, the German astronautics pioneer, which develops and builds rockets and trains engineers in space technology....
(German Society for Air and Space Flight). With the German manufacturer Gmbh Freytag, Baumann developed, constructed and tested a biplane of his own design.
In 1913 he had published a two-volume textbook, Mechanische Grundlagen des Flugzeugbaues ("Mechanical Basis of Aeronautical Engineering"), that became a standard reference for the next decade.
World War I
At the start of World War I, Ferdinand von ZeppelinFerdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was a German general and later aircraft manufacturer. He founded the Zeppelin Airship company...
brought Baumann into the Versuchsbau Gotha-Ost (VGO) consortium to design, develop, manufacture and test Riesenflugzeug ("giant aircraft") R-bombers
R-planes
R-planes were large German Army bombers in World War I. The R classification was short for Riesenflugzeug . In designations, the manufacturer's name preceded the letter R followed by a Roman numeral, e.g. Dornier Rs.III or Staaken R.XIV.The R-planes were the largest aircraft of World War I...
, a type to be larger than the Gotha G
Gotha G
|-See also:-References:* The Complete Encyclopedia of Flight 1848-1939 by John Batchelor and Malcolm V. Lowe-External links:*...
bombers. The first Riesenflugzeug built was the VGO.I in April 1915. Baumann, an expert in light-weight construction techniques, placed the four engines in nacelles mounted between the upper and lower wing decks to distribute the loads to save weight in the wing spars.
The follow-on VGO.III prototype, a 3-engine open cockpit bomber, produced greater power and validated the soundness of the basic design. Baumann designed and developed three successors, including the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI, which became the largest bomber produced in quantity by the Germans in World War I.
For his achievements, Baumann was awarded the Royal-Württemberg Wilhelm Cross without Swords (Königlich-Württembergisches Wilhelmkreuz ohne Schwerter) in 1917.
Post-war design career
In 1924 Baumann became a design consultant for the Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaMitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
in Nagoya, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, working with Nobushiro Nakata (chief designer) and Satsuo Tokunaga. Baumann designed three early Japanese military aircraft, the 2MR1 Tobi carrier reconnaissance plane, the experimental 2MB2 Washi (Eagle) light bomber and the 1MF2 Hayabusa ("Peregrine Falcon") fighter.
Baumann returned to Germany and died in Stuttgart on March 23, 1928, of lung cancer.