Carl Eberhardt

Carl Eberhardt (born August 9, 1877 in Bayreuth , † March 2, 1932 in Darmstadt ) was a German university professor for airship and aviation technology .

Life

Carl Johann Eberhardt was born in Bayreuth in 1877 as the son of Andreas Eberhardt and his wife Katharina Kester .

After graduating from high school, he studied engineering and successfully completed this course with the title of qualified engineer . Before moving to Darmstadt, he was the chief engineer of the military aviation station at the Döberitz military training area near Berlin. The Döberitz military airfield is considered to be the origin of the German air force . Eberhardt was editor and author of the series "Aviation and Science" published by Julius Springer. He was also the author of two aviation science books on the calculation of motorized airships and propellers .

On the initiative of Max Gutermuth , a new chair for airship and aviation technology was established in the mechanical engineering department at the TH Darmstadt in the winter semester of 1913/14 . The first exclusive and scheduled professorship for aviation was established in the Grand Duchy of Hesse . Carl Eberhardt was appointed to this chair on November 1, 1913, initially as an adjunct associate professor. On November 13, 1913, he gave his inaugural lecture on "The operational safety of today's flying machine". Although he was also called to work in the aviation industry, Eberhardt placed the main focus of his research on aircraft technology. His teaching program included lectures on aircraft technology and propellers, as well as exercises in designing airships, flying machines and propellers.

As early as the summer semester of 1914, Eberhardt organized excursions to the airfield in Griesheimer Sand and worked closely with the Eulerwerke in Frankfurt-Niederrad , which was founded by August Euler . Since Eberhardt was called up for military service in the academic year 1915/16, the courses at the TH were severely restricted in this area.

After the First World War, teaching was resumed unchanged. Since the airfield in Griesheim was confiscated by the French, the practical options were severely limited. Only with the opening of the airfield on the Lichtwiese in 1925 did this situation improve.

In the meantime, Eberhardt published two popular science volumes on aviation technology and airship travel in the Göschen Collection in 1921, which made the author famous throughout the Reich.

Eberhardt was married to Gertrud Boretzki since 1919. He died in Darmstadt at the age of 54.

Publications

• Flight technique. Berlin 1921 (Göschen Collection 841).
• Aviation. Berlin 1921 (Göschen Collection 842).
• Introduction to Theoretical Aerodynamics. Munich 1927.

literature

• Andreas Göller: The beginnings of aviation research at the Technical University of Darmstadt until 1945. In: Andreas Göller and Annegret Holtmann (eds.): A century of aviation history between tradition. Research and Landscape Management, Darmstadt 2008, pp. 179–208.
• Manfred Hampe and Gerhard Pahl (eds.): On the history of mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt. Düsseldorf 2008, p. 225.
• Christa Wolf and Marianne Viefhaus: Directory of professors at TH Darmstadt. Darmstadt 1977, p. 44.