Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke-fokker Gmbh

Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke Mbb

Heinz-Jochen Hoppner

Herbert Sadowski

Hugo Sgarz

Ulrich Kramer

An unmanned aircraft vehicle to be launched from a container is provided with a rocket engine for launching and a propeller drive for cruising; the wings can be folded to the body of the vehicle and will be deployed as the vehicle leaves the launching container. The propeller is freely rotatable, even if the vehicle is still in the launching container. The rocket engine is releasably connected to at least one point on the propeller drive and in symmetrical relation to maintain the propeller drive coaxial to the propeller shaft, and to react rocket thrust directly into the propeller drive.

Unmanned aircraft

A vehicle or craft is provided for propeller propulsion with start assist by a releasable rocket engine. The craft is launched from a silo of square-shaped cross-section containing the starter motor for the propeller, whose engine is started while the craft is still in the silo. Diagonally opposed corners of the silo are provided with rails, in which run guides on rudder fins of the craft. The wings are pivoted to the fuselage for deployment whereby the wing tips do not move forward. The rocket engine is jettisoned shortly after take-off by simple disengagement. Parts of the wings and/or the rear of the fuselage may be jettisoned shortly before the craft reaches the target area.

Growing community of inventors

Bremen, Germany

Heinz-Jochen Hoppner