Henrich Focke(1890-1979)
Focke was already interested in aviation as a schoolboy. With his brother Wilhelm he undertook his first flight attempts with his own flying machines. In 1908 he constructed the first duck plane, which was not yet flyable. After school, Focke studied mechanical engineering at the Hanover Technical University from 1908 onward. In 1912 he built his first powered aircraft with Hans Kolthoff and Georg Wulf. Between 1914 and 1917, Focke served as an infantryman and pilot in the First World War. After his plane crashed, he became an engineer at the flight maintenance department in Berlin. After the end of the war, Focke resumed his mechanical engineering studies and completed them with a diploma in 1920. He then worked as a designer for gas and water systems at Franke-Werke in Bremen. In 1921, Focke manufactured the A7 with Georg Wulf as his first officially certified aircraft.
Together with Wulf and Werner Naumann, he founded the company Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG in Bremen in 1924. In the company, Focke and his brother Wilhelm built the F-19a duck plane, for the construction of which the brothers used a patent from the previous model from 1908. Wulf died in a crash during a test flight with the duck plane in 1927. In 1930 the Focke-Wulf company merged with Albatros Flugwerke. After the National Socialists came to power, Focke was forced to resign from the company management in 1933, while he remained involved in the design of the aircraft. In 1936, the Fa-61, the world's first helicopter manufactured by Focke in Bremen, was tested with a first flight. In 1937, Focke founded the Focke-Achelis company in Delmenhorst near Bremen together with Gerd Achelis. After Focke had already given lectures at the Bremen Technical College in the early 1930s, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the TH Hannover in 1938.
In 1940, Focke released the Fa-223 cargo helicopter. In 1944, Focke Wulf merged with Weser Flugzeugbau GmbH. After the end of the war, Focke worked as a consultant at Aerosudest in Paris from 1945 to 1948, where he rebuilt the Fa-223 and the S.E. 3101 as a precursor to the "Alouette". After returning to Germany, Focke opened an engineering office in Bremen in 1948. From 1950 he worked as a designer at the Norddeutsche Fahrzeugwerke in Wilhelmshaven and also advised the British Aviation Ministry in London until 1958. In 1952, Focke developed the Beija-Flor helicopter in Brazil, which first flew in 1958. In 1956 he built the helicopter as a Hummingbird at the German Borgward Automobilwerke. In 1960 Focke was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
After Borgward's bankruptcy, Focke worked as a consulting engineer at the United Aviation Technical Works in Bremen and at the German Aerospace Research Institute from 1961 onward.
Henrich Focke died on February 25, 1979 in Bremen.
Together with Wulf and Werner Naumann, he founded the company Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG in Bremen in 1924. In the company, Focke and his brother Wilhelm built the F-19a duck plane, for the construction of which the brothers used a patent from the previous model from 1908. Wulf died in a crash during a test flight with the duck plane in 1927. In 1930 the Focke-Wulf company merged with Albatros Flugwerke. After the National Socialists came to power, Focke was forced to resign from the company management in 1933, while he remained involved in the design of the aircraft. In 1936, the Fa-61, the world's first helicopter manufactured by Focke in Bremen, was tested with a first flight. In 1937, Focke founded the Focke-Achelis company in Delmenhorst near Bremen together with Gerd Achelis. After Focke had already given lectures at the Bremen Technical College in the early 1930s, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the TH Hannover in 1938.
In 1940, Focke released the Fa-223 cargo helicopter. In 1944, Focke Wulf merged with Weser Flugzeugbau GmbH. After the end of the war, Focke worked as a consultant at Aerosudest in Paris from 1945 to 1948, where he rebuilt the Fa-223 and the S.E. 3101 as a precursor to the "Alouette". After returning to Germany, Focke opened an engineering office in Bremen in 1948. From 1950 he worked as a designer at the Norddeutsche Fahrzeugwerke in Wilhelmshaven and also advised the British Aviation Ministry in London until 1958. In 1952, Focke developed the Beija-Flor helicopter in Brazil, which first flew in 1958. In 1956 he built the helicopter as a Hummingbird at the German Borgward Automobilwerke. In 1960 Focke was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
After Borgward's bankruptcy, Focke worked as a consulting engineer at the United Aviation Technical Works in Bremen and at the German Aerospace Research Institute from 1961 onward.
Henrich Focke died on February 25, 1979 in Bremen.