Gerd Achgelis
Gerd Achgelis | |
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Légion d'honneur (1975) |
Gerd Achgelis (16 July 1908 – 18 May 1991) was a German aviator, test pilot, and pioneer in the development of helicopters.
Biography
Achgelis was born in Golzwarden in Oldenburg, and after an apprenticeship as an electrician, began working as a stunt pilot in 1928. In 1930 he flew inverted for an hour over London, and in 1931 he was the German aerobatic champion. Flying a
From April 1932, he also worked as a flying instructor at the Technikum Weimar, and in 1933 became chief test pilot for the Focke-Wulf company in Bremen. On 26 June 1936 he flew the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, considered the first practical helicopter, on its maiden flight. On 27 April 1937, together with Henrich Focke, he founded the company Focke-Achgelis to develop and manufacture helicopters at Hoykenkamp.
In 1933
After the war, Achgelis retired to his family farm, and from 1952 had commercial interests in Hude. However he remained connected to flying. In 1961, he was one of the founders of the airfield Flugplatz Oldenburg-Hatten
Achgelis died at his home in Hude in 1991.
References
- ^ "From Origins to the Olympics: The First World Aerobatic Championships" (PDF). france-voltige.org. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ "Größen der Luftfahrt". Flugplatz Oldenburg-Hatten (in German). 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
External links
- "Gerd Achgelis". Fröbelschule Delmenhorst (in German). 2013. Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- "Focke-Achgelis". Bückeburg Helicopter Museum. 2013. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2013-04-09.