Herbert A. Wagner
| Herbert Alois Wagner | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 22 May 1900 Graz, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 28 May 1982 Newport Beach, California, USA |
| Residence | Nazi Germany, United States |
| Nationality | Austrian, German |
| Fields | Aerodynamics |
| Institutions | Rohrbach Metall-Flugzeugbau |
| Alma mater | Technical University of Berlin |
| Known for |
Henschel Hs 293 Henschel Hs 117 Operation Paperclip |
Herbert Alois Wagner (22 May 1900, Graz, Austria - 28 May 1982 in Newport Beach, California, USA) was an Austrian scientist who developed numerous innovations in the fields of aerodynamics, aircraft structures and guided weapons. He is most famous for Wagner's function describing unsteady lift on wings and developing the Henschel Hs 293 glide bomb.
Wagner attended the Austrian Naval Academy from 1914 to 1917 and served as an Ensign in the Austrian Navy during World War I. He survived the sinking of his ship after it was struck by an enemy torpedo. After the war he returned to his studies, earning a doctorate from the Technical University of Berlin when he was only 23. His doctoral thesis entitled "Origin of the dynamic lift of wings" contained the solution of one of fundamental unsteady aerodynamics problems concerned with lift force on wings that are suddenly set into motion. The result later became known as "Wagner's function".
In the mid-1920s he worked for Rohrbach Metall-Flugzeugbau on new designs for flying boats. During that time he also invented the so-called Wagner beam, a method of constructing aircraft structural components from sheet metal. Following a short stint as a professor at the Technical University of Berlin, he returned to industry at Junkers Flugzeugwerke, helping to design aircraft and aircraft engines working together with Hans von Ohain. There he played an instrumental role in the development of the first jet engines. He left Junkers following a disagreement with the management, and settled at Henschel Flugzeugwerke in Berlin.
...
Wikipedia