Hermann Schlichting

Hermann Schlichting
Born 22 September 1907
Balje/Elbe, German Empire
Died 15 June 1982 (aged 74)
Göttingen, West Germany
Residence Germany
Nationality German
Fields Fluid dynamics
Institutions Technische Universität Braunschweig
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Flow Research
Alma mater University of Göttingen
Doctoral advisor Ludwig Prandtl
Albert Betz
Doctoral students Erich Truckenbrodt
Klaus Gersten
Known for Boundary layer transition
Notable awards Bundesverdienstkreuz

Hermann Schlichting (22 September 1907 – 15 June 1982) was a German fluid dynamics engineer.

Life and work

Hermann Schlichting studied from 1926 till 1930 mathematics, physics and applied mechanics at the University of Jena, Vienne and Göttingen. In 1930 he wrote his PhD in Göttingen titled Über das ebene Windschattenproblem and also in the same year passed the state examination as teacher for higher mathematics and physics. His meeting with Ludwig Prandtl had a long-lasting effect on him. He worked from 1931 till 1935 at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Flow Research in Göttingen. His main research area was fluid flows with viscous effects. Simultaneously he also started working on airfoil aerodynamics. In 1935 Schlichting went to Dornier in Friedrichshafen. There he did the planning for the new wind tunnel and after short construction time took charge over it. With it he gained useful experience in the field of aerodynamics. At the age of 30 in 1937 he joined Technische Universität Braunschweig, where in 1938 he became a professor.

After joining in October 1937 Schlichting worked on setting up the Aerodynamic Institute at the Braunschweig-Waggum airport.

The transition from laminar to turbulence results in Tollmien–Schlichting waves named after him.

Prof. Schlichting became an emeritus professor in 30 September 1975 at TU Braunschweig.

Achievements

Books

External links

Preceded by
Albert Betz
Director of Aerodynamic Laboratory, University of Göttingen
1956—1975
Succeeded by
Boris Laschka