Editing DFS 40

{{Short description|Type of aircraft}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name           = DFS 40
|image          =[[File:KN Lippisch DFS40 1937.jpg|300px]]
|caption        = 
|type           = Experimental [[Tailless aircraft]]
|national_origin = [[Nazi Germany]] 
|manufacturer   = ''[[Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug]]'' (DFS)
|designer       = [[Alexander Lippisch]]
|first_flight   = 1939
|introduction     = 
|retired        = 
|status         = 
|primary_user   = 
|more_users     = 
|produced       = 
|number_built   = 1
|program cost   = 
|unit cost      = 
|developed_from = [[Lippisch Delta IV]]
|variants = [[DFS 194]]
}}

The '''DFS 40''' was a tailless research aircraft designed by [[Alexander Lippisch]] as the '''Delta V''' in 1937.<ref>Alexander M. Lippisch. ''Errinneruingen'' (Memoirs). Luftfahrtverlag Axel Zuerl. Germany. Pages: Front endpapers, pp.185-6, 192-3)</ref> The DFS 40 was a more advanced design than the previous DFS 39 ([[Lippisch Delta IV|Delta IV]]), and was built for comparison with that aircraft.<ref>Albert C. Piccirillo. "The Me 163B Komet, Development and Operational Experience". ''SAE Transactions''. Vol. 106, Section 1: Journal of Aerospace (1997), pp. 1828-1845 (18 pages). See p.1829.</ref>

Where the DFS 39 had a pronounced fuselage with low-mounted wing, the DFS 40 was closer to a [[flying wing]], with the wing-fuselage junction blended so that there was no clear dividing line.<ref>Alexander M. Lippisch. "Tailless Tailpiece". ''Air Enthusiast''. September 1972. pp.136-138, 50.</ref>

The DFS 40 was flown for the first time by [[Heini Dittmar]] in 1938, shortly before Lippisch departed the DFS (''[[Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug]]'' - German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight) to begin work at [[Messerschmitt]], taking much of his design team with him. Soon afterwards, without Lippisch there to supervise the project, the aircraft was crashed due to an error in [[Center of mass|center of gravity]] calculations that resulted in it entering a [[Flat spin (aviation)|flat spin]] during flight. While the test pilot escaped by parachute, the DFS 40 was destroyed.{{sfn|Ethell|1978|pp=37–40}}

==Specifications (DFS 40)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=
|prime units?=met
|crew=1
|length m=5.1
|span m=12
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Argus As 8]]
|eng1 type=4-cyl in-line piston engine
|eng1 hp=120
|eng1 note={{sfn|Ethell|1978|p=38}}
|perfhide=y
}}
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
}}
{{commons category|DFS 40}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Ethell |first=Jeffrey L. |title=Komet: The Messerschmitt 163 |year=1978 |location=Shepperton, UK |publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=0-7110-0827-2}}

{{Lippisch aircraft}}
{{DFS aircraft}}
{{RLM aircraft designations}}

[[Category:1930s German experimental aircraft]]
[[Category:Lippisch aircraft]]
[[Category:DFS aircraft|DFS 040]]
[[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1939]]
[[Category:Tailless aircraft]]