Wing fence
Barrera de capa límite
- Date
- c. 1940 · confidence low
- Place
- Berlin, Germany
- Credited to
- Wolfgang Liebe
- Field
- Movement
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Fixed aerodynamic plate mounted on top of an aircraft's swept wing, parallel to the chord, that blocks spanwise airflow to prevent the whole wing stalling suddenly; attributed to German engineer Wolfgang Liebe.
Exact date and place uncertain: attributed to Wolfgang Liebe around 1940 without a source pinning down the specific location.
What it led to
- improved safety of swept wings
- aerodynamic design of jet aircraft
- boundary-layer control devices (slats, vortex generators)
- high-speed commercial aviation