Frederick Lanchester HonFRAeS gave his contemporaries valuable insights into the fundamentals of flight. In the first RAeS Lanchester Lecture from 1957, one of the biggest names in twentieth century aeronautics, Theodore von Kármán, explores Lanchester’s work on aerodynamics and flight mechanics and explains the importance of Lanchester’s classic 1897 paper and 1907 book, Aerodynamics. He also looks at Lanchester’s predictions on the future of civil aviation and his work on aircraft in warfare.

Dr von Kármán met Lanchester a number of times and he uses his first-hand knowledge to explore the relationship that Lanchester built with his teacher, Ludwig Prantl, and recounts the story of when he was taken out for a drive by Lanchester during 1911.

Dr von Kármán’s Aeronautical Journal paper on Lanchester can be read via the Aeronautical Journal Archive and for free for RAeS members via the RAeS website.

Theodore von Kármán HonFRAeS gave the Royal Aeronautical Society’s 1st Lanchester Memorial Lecture on 9 May 1957. The lecture was introduced by the then President, Sir George Edwards HonFRAeS, the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr E. S. Moult HonFRAeS and seconded by Prof A. D. Baxter FRAeS, the recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.