Robert Lusser (1 Viewer)

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spicmart

Staff Sergeant
764
139
May 11, 2008
Robert Lusser was the main man behind many a Messerschmitt (Bf 108 and Bf 109) and Heinkel design. Yet he is little known. Does anybody know more about his work and influence and how his designs were affected by the philosophies of the aviation companies and men he worked for?
 
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There was a very short Chapter about him in the book "Messerschmitt BF109 at War" by Armand van Ishoven. The chapter is titled "Born in Bavaria". It showed the less-than-easy relationship he had with Messerschmitt and a series of telling correspondences between them.
 
There was a very short Chapter about him in the book "Messerschmitt BF109 at War" by Armand van Ishoven. The chapter is titled "Born in Bavaria". It showed the less-than-easy relationship he had with Messerschmitt and a series of telling correspondences between them.

Yes. it was so. One wonders if Messerschmitt had been universally hated.
 
Robert Lusser was the main man behind many a Messerschmitt (Bf 108 and Bf 109) and Heinkel design. Yet he is little known. Does anybody know more about his work and influence and how his designs were affected by the philosophies of the aviation companies and men he worked for?

Robert Lusser designed the Me 109 with Willy Messerschmitt. He then went on the Heinkel and designed several aircraft including early versions of what would become the He 219. These were very sophisticated designs that seemed a little to ambitious or complex so the Luftwaffe declined them. Ernst Heinkel was not one to tolerate non-success and Lusser moved on to Fiesler where he designed the Fi 103 better known as the V1. He stayed in touch with Wilhelm Messerschmitt. Professor Messerschmitt was very taken by Lussers's Fi 103 and soon came up with plans to produce 100,000/month carefully calculating the man power, materials and methods that would be required to achieve this and started promoting the idea. Manpower to produce a V1 with its autopilot was about 350 hours so it was doable. It was Ludwig Boelkow who managed the ongoing development of the Me 109.

Boelkow is also an interesting character apart from designing some of the Me 262 wing sections as a young man he became the Second "B" in Messerschmitt, Boelkow and Blohm or MBB that restarted German aviation. He promoted the hydrogen economy putting his money into solar concentrators, electrolysers, hydrogen as a fuel and windmills.
 
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Wonder why Lusser is so little known given his major contribution to designing so many important Luftwaffe vehicles.
 

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