Germany's Dr. Alexander Lippisch (1894-1976) was, even in his early years, a pioneer in the field of delta-winged aircraft. When his experimental single-engine Delta 1 flew in June of 1931, it was the first successful flight of a tail-less or "flying wing" aircraft. Unfortunately, even after a successful public demonstration at Berlin-Tempelhof the following September, he was unable to find the financial backing necessary to develop this design further.
