luftwaffe flying discs

[ArtieBob]

Dear Franek,

if you are referring to the Vought V-173/ XF5U program, this was an entirely US program with no links to Luftwaffe technology. The XF5U protoype was preceeded not only by the V-173 full size proof of concept prototype, which first flew in 1942, but powered models before that. Charles H. Zimmerman was granted a patent on the concept in 1935 and the original proposal to the US Navy was made in 1939. The concept was not “bad “ or ridiculed, but the development cycle was sufficiently prolonged with collateral problems not related to the aerodynamic concept, that by the time it neared maturity, other technology had preempted the role for which it was intended.

Best regards,

Artie Bob