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The invisible element with the great forces - aerodynamics in racing car construction in the 1930s

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Created on March 14, 2022

Reading time 19min

Written by:

Martin Schröder

Photos:

Audi-Archiv

4

Gerhard Wickern

4

Archiv Martin Schröder

4

Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt

2

Daimler-Archiv

2

Archiv Pielmann

1

AG für Verkehrspatente Luzern

1

Heinrich Hoffmann, Library of Congress

1

"Auto Union – Die großen Rennen 1934 bis 1939"

1

Gordan Glavas

1

Mercedes-Benz Photodienst, Daimler-Archiv

1

Alex Büttner, Archiv Martin Schröder

1

Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Bestand Auto Union

1

Georg von Stavenhagen, Archiv Rolf Bunte

1

Meiche, Archiv Martin Schröder

1

von Koenig-Fachsenfeld, "Aerodynamik des Kraftfahrzeugs"

1

Martin Schröder

1

Wikimedia Commons

1

Audi-Archiv

4

Gerhard Wickern

4

Archiv Martin Schröder

4

Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt

2

Daimler-Archiv

2

Archiv Pielmann

1

AG für Verkehrspatente Luzern

1

Heinrich Hoffmann, Library of Congress

1

"Auto Union – Die großen Rennen 1934 bis 1939"

1

Gordan Glavas

1

Mercedes-Benz Photodienst, Daimler-Archiv

1

Alex Büttner, Archiv Martin Schröder

1

Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Bestand Auto Union

1

Georg von Stavenhagen, Archiv Rolf Bunte

1

Meiche, Archiv Martin Schröder

1

von Koenig-Fachsenfeld, "Aerodynamik des Kraftfahrzeugs"

1

Martin Schröder

1

Wikimedia Commons

1

Auto Union Typ D Stromlinie (1938) – Eingesetzt beim Grand Prix de la Marne in Reims

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Benz 10/30 PS (1921) – Franz Hörner gewann mit Beifahrer Paul Gass die Zwei-Liter-Klasse beim AVUS-Eröffnungsrennen 1921

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Zeichnungen in Paul Jarays Patentschrift 441618 von 1921

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Mercedes-Benz SSKL Vetter "Gurke" (1932) – Manfred von Brauchitsch siegt auf der AVUS 1932

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Auto Union Typ A (1934) – Hans Stuck am 6. März 1934 bei der Abnahmefahrt auf der AVUS

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Auto Union Typ B Rekordwagen (1935) – Der zweite gebaute Lucca-Wagen mit Jaray-Karosserie. Neben dem Cockpit steht Ferdinand Porsche

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Auto Union Typ B Rekordwagen "Lucca" (1935) – Modell auf der IAA in Berlin

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Jaray-Nennung auf einer Zeichnung des Lucca-Wagens

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Auto Union Typ B Rekordwagen (1935) – Vor dem Start zum Vorlauf des AVUS-Rennens 1935

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Auto Union Typ B Rekordwagen (1935) – Rosemeyer platzt beim AVUS-Rennen 1935 Ausgangs der Nordkurve der Hinterreifen

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Auto Union Typ B Rekordwagen (1935) – Rosemeyers geplatzter Reifen beim AVUS-Rennen 1935

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Schreiben Emil Everlings an Ferdinand Porsche vom 28. Mai 1935

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Schematische Darstellung der Windbremse in Emil Everlings Patentschrift 642995 von 1935

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Auto Union Typ C (1937) – Die "schlanke Schönheit" im Deutschen Museum

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Darstellung des Stromlinien-Konzepts nach Jaray

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Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine (1938) – Tragflächen-Profil nach Jaray-Prinzip

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Mercedes-Benz W25 Rekordwagen (1936) – Mit vom Fahrtwind eingedrückter Nase

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Auto Union Typ C Stromlinie (1937) – Mit Fenstern zur Reifen-Beobachtung in den Kotflügeln

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Auto Union Typ C Stromlinie (1937) – Beim Start zur Rekordfahrt am 25. Oktober 1937

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Skizze von Robert Eberan von Eberhorst über die Wirkung des Bodeneffekts

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Auto Union Typ C Stromlinie (1938) – Mit Seitenschürzen und Heckdiffusor vor der Rekordfahrt im Januar 1938

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Auto Union Typ C Stromlinie (1938) – Anschieben vor Bernd Rosemeyers letzter Fahrt am 28. Januar 1938. Gut zu erkennen der kleine Kühllufteinlass und die verkleideten Räder

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Lotus 79 (1978) – Schematische Darstellung des Bodeneffekts

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Mercedes-Benz W 125 Weltrekordwagen (1938) – Rudolf Caracciola erreichte 432 km/h

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Auto Union Typ D Stromlinie (1938) – Schon im Training zum Grossen Preis von Reims scheiden beide Auto Union aus

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Auto Union Typ D Stromlinie (1938) – Das aerodynamische Konzept des Prototyps

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Auto Union Typ D Stromlinie (1938) – Das aerodynamische Konzept des Prototyps

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Auto Union Typ D Stromlinie (1938) – Nie realisierter Heckspoiler

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Aerodynamische Beiwerte als Funktion der Klappenstellung

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Summary

Long before wings and spoilers became established on formula cars at the end of the 1960s, the Auto Union experimented with downforce and ground effect. While in the 1930s, good aerodynamics were primarily intended to achieve a high top speed, engineers slowly began to focus on the benefits of air as a downforce and braking aid. This article tells the story of the pioneering years of the ground effect and shows lots of historical images.

This article contains the following chapters

Manfred and the cucumber
The Auto Union on the AVUS
The air should help with braking
The battle against the invisible element
AVUS race and record drive 1937
The disastrous record run in 1938
The Auto Union in distress
The end for good aerodynamics?
The Auto Union Type D Streamliner - A Forgotten Innovation in Motorsport Aerodanamics
Development of motorsport aerodynamics from 1938 onwards
The aerodynamic concept of the Auto Union Type D streamline

Estimated reading time: 19min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Opening race on the Automobile Traffic and Practice Road (AVUS) on September 24, 1921: two nine-kilometre straights, two 180-degree bends of different diameters. Air resistance, or rather the "successful fight against the invisible element", played a decisive role. This is why the Benz engineers remembered the success of the Blitzen-Benz from 1909 and gave Franz Hörner's Benz winning car in the 10/30 hp class the smoothest possible bodywork. The result: an average speed of 121.1 km/h! At the time, the designers were not yet familiar with anything more than a smooth body. This was because Paul Jaray, who came from the field of airship construction and was to become the aerodynamics pioneer of motor vehicle construction, only submitted his first patent specification no. 441 618 for the reduction of air resistance in 1921.

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