The DFS 194 was a rocket-powered aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch at the ''Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug'' (DFS - German Institute for Sailplane Flight) based on his ''Delta'' series of tail-less designs. As originally conceived, it would have been a tail-less aircraft similar to his DFS 40, powered by a conventional piston engine driving a pusher propeller. The airframe was completed in this configuration in March 1938.
Lippisch's designs had attracted the attention of the ''Reichsluftfahrtministerium'' (RLM - Reich Aviation Ministry) who believed that tail-less aircraft were the best basis for a rocket-powered fighter. On January 21939, Lippisch and his team were transferred to the Messerschmitt company to begin work on such an aircraft, under what was known as ''Project X''. The DFS-194 was modified to accept a Walter R I-203 rocket engine designed by Hellmuth Walter, and by October, the aircraft was undergoing engine tests at Peenemünde. These were followed by glide tests in early 1940 leading to a the first powered flight in August with Heini Dittmar at the controls. The flight went exceedingly well, the plane attaining a top speed of 343 mph (550 km/h), with performance much superior to the more basic Heinkel He 176 which had been tested July 20, 1939 with a earlier Walter rocket engine.
The aircraft proved to have excellent flying characteristics, and proved safe to fly at nearly twice the anticipated speed. These excellent results paved the way for the next stage of the project, which now received priority status from the RLM. The following year, the result would be the Messerschmitt Me 163, a considerably refined design along the same basic lines.
Main Development Sequence
*Lippisch Delta's
**Early Delta's
**DFS involvement begins with Lippisch Delta IVb project
*Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug ''Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug''
** DFS 39
** DFS 40
** DFS 194
*Messerschmitt
** Messerschmitt Me 163,
** Messerschmitt Me
*Junkers
**Messerschmitt Me 263
*Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Burea
**Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270
{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin:5px auto; clear:both; border:3px solid;width:60%; font-size:small;" align="center"
!bgcolor="#e0e0e0" colspan="2" align="center" style="border-bottom:3px solid"|Related content
|-
|Related Development
|align="center"|
DFS 39 -
Messerschmitt Me 163 -
Messerschmitt Me 263 -
Mitsubishi J8M
|-
|Similar Aircraft
|align="center"|
GIRD RP-1
|-
|Designation Series
|align="center"|
Focke-Wulf Fw 191 -
AGO Ao 192 -
DFS 193 -
DFS 194 -
Arado Ar 195 -
Arado Ar 196 -
Arado Ar 197
|-
|Related Lists
|align="center"|
List of military aircraft of Germany
|-
|}
German experimental aircraft 1940-1949World War II German experimental aircraftRocket-powered aircraft
