Gustav Lachmann
Encyclopedia
Gustav Victor Lachmann was a German
aeronautical engineer who spent most of his professional life working for the British
company of Handley Page.
Lachmann was born in Dresden, Germany, in 1896. He served as a lieutenant in the German Army
during World War I
, and was trained as a pilot. He was severely injured in the crash of his plane in 1917.
In 1918, he invented leading edge slats
(Lachmann Flaps) to improve the resistance to spinning
and reduce the stalling
speed of an aircraft. The invention was initially rejected by the German Patent Office but eventually granted in 1922 as DE 347884.
After the war he studied engineering. After periods of work in Germany and Japan
, in 1929 he took a job with the Handley Page company in the United Kingdom
, becoming director of scientific research there.
He was regarded with suspicion as a possible spy. On the outbreak of World War II
he was interned on the Isle of Man
as an enemy alien
, but after pressure from his employers was eventually permitted by the authorities to continue his work at Handley-Page.
He stayed with Handley-Page for the remainder of his career. He died in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, in 1966.
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...
aeronautical engineer who spent most of his professional life working for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company of Handley Page.
Lachmann was born in Dresden, Germany, in 1896. He served as a lieutenant in the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was trained as a pilot. He was severely injured in the crash of his plane in 1917.
In 1918, he invented leading edge slats
Leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly at slower...
(Lachmann Flaps) to improve the resistance to spinning
Spin (flight)
In aviation, a spin is an aggravated stall resulting in autorotation about the spin axis wherein the aircraft follows a corkscrew downward path. Spins can be entered intentionally or unintentionally, from any flight attitude and from practically any airspeed—all that is required is sufficient yaw...
and reduce the stalling
Stall (flight)
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases. This occurs when the critical angle of attack of the foil is exceeded...
speed of an aircraft. The invention was initially rejected by the German Patent Office but eventually granted in 1922 as DE 347884.
After the war he studied engineering. After periods of work in Germany and 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...
, in 1929 he took a job with the Handley Page company in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, becoming director of scientific research there.
He was regarded with suspicion as a possible spy. On the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was interned on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
as an enemy alien
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
, but after pressure from his employers was eventually permitted by the authorities to continue his work at Handley-Page.
He stayed with Handley-Page for the remainder of his career. He died in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, in 1966.