Felix Wankel
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221537266
2008-06-24T23:09:28Z
Chrislonghurst
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/* External links */
{{Infobox Engineer
|name = Felix Wankel
|nationality =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1902|8|13}}
|birth_place = [[Lahr]], [[Germany]]
|death_date = {{death date and age|1988|10|9|1902|8|13}}
|death_place = [[Heidelberg]], [[Germany]]
|education =[[Germany|German]]
|spouse =
|parents =
|children =
|discipline =
|institutions =Paki, [[Reich Air Ministry]], [[Federal-Mogul|Goetze AG]], [[NSU Motorenwerke AG|NSU]], Wankel GmbH
|practice_name =
|significant_projects = [[Wankel engine]]
|significant_design =
|significant_advance =
|significant_awards =
}}
'''Felix Heinrich Wankel, Hon. DEng''' ([[August 13]] [[1902]] – [[October 9]] [[1988]]) was a [[Germany|German]] [[mechanical engineer]] and the inventor of the [[Wankel engine]].
Wankel was born in [[Lahr]], Germany, in the upper Rhine Valley. Since his mother was widowed in [[World War I]], Wankel received no [[university]] education or even an [[apprenticeship]]. However, he was able to teach himself technical subjects and conceived the idea of the Wankel engine in [[1924]].
==Career==
[[Image:DrehkolbenmotorDKM54.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Wankel engine, type DKM54 (1957)]]
During [[World War II]], he developed seals and rotary valves for German air force aircraft and navy torpedoes. After the war, he was imprisoned by the [[Allies]] for some months, his laboratory was closed, his work confiscated, and he was prohibited from doing more work. In 1951, he began development of the engine at [[NSU Motorenwerke AG|NSU (NSU Motorenwerke AG)]], leading to the first running prototype on [[February 1]] [[1957]].
<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,459789,00.html Wankel-Jubiläum: Warten aufs Wunder - Auto - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> His engine design was first licensed by [[Curtiss-Wright]] in [[New Jersey]]. [[Mazda]] in Japan solved the chatter marks problem. The engine has been successfully used by Mazda in several generations of their RX-series of [[Coupe|coupés]] and sedans including the [[Mazda R100|R100]] and especially the [[Mazda RX-7|RX-7]].
In later years, Wankel was granted an honorary Doctorate of Engineering. He was known for his championing of [[animal rights]] and opposition to the use of animals in testing.
Wankel died in [[Heidelberg]], aged 86.
===Licensees===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#e3e3e3;"
|-
|21.10.1958 || [[Curtiss-Wright]] Corp.|| USA || without restriction, no series
|-
|29.12.1960 || [[Fichtel & Sachs]] AG || BRD || industrial engine and boat, 0.5-30 PS
|-
|25.02.1961 || [[Yanmar]] Diesel Co. Ltd || JP || gasoline and diesel engine, 1-100 PS, 1-300 PS
|-
|27.02.1961 || [[Mazda|Toyo Kogyo]], Co. Ltd.|| JP || gasoline 1-200 PS land vehicles
|-
|04.10.1961 || [[Deutz AG|Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG]] || BRD || diesel engine without restriction
|-
|26.10.1961 || [[Daimler-Benz]] AG|| BRD || gasoline 50 PS upwards
|-
|30.10.1961 || [[MAN AG]] || BRD || diesel engine without restriction
|-
|02.11.1961 || [[Friedrich Krupp AG]] || BRD || diesel engine without restriction
|-
|12.03.1964 || Daimler-Benz AG || BRD || diesel engine without restriction
|-
|15.04.1964 || S.p.A [[Alfa Romeo]] || IT || gasoline engine 50-300 PS or Passenger car
|-
|17.02.1965 || [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]] Motors Ltd. || GB || diesel and hybrid engines 100-850 Ps
|-
|18.02.1965 || [[Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau|IFA]] VEB || DDR || gasoline engine 0.5-25 PS and 50-150 PS
|-
|02.03.1965 || Dr.Ing. h.c. [[Porsche]] KG || BRD || gasoline engine 50-1000 Ps
|-
|01.03.1966 || [[Outboard Marine]] Corp. || USA || gasoline engine 50-400 Ps
|-
|11.05.1967 || [[Comotor]] S.A. || L || gasoline and diesel engine 40-200 PS
|-
|12.09.1967 || Graupner || BRD || 0,1-3 PS model engines
|-
|28.08.1969 || [[Savkel]] Ltd. || IS || gasoline 0.5-30 PS industrial engines
|-
|01.10.1970 || [[Nissan Motors|Nissan]] || JP || gasoline engines 80-120 Ps
|-
|10.11.1970 || [[General Motors]] || USA || everything, except aircraft engines
|-
|24.11.1970 || [[Suzuki]] || JP || gasoline engines 20-60 PS for motorcycle
|-
|25.05.1971 || [[Toyota]] || JP || gasoline engines 75-150 PS
|-
|29.11.1971 || [[Ford Germany|Ford-Werke AG, Köln]] || BRD || gasoline engines 80-200 PS (1974 quit)
|-
|25.07.1972 || [[Birmingham Small Arms Company|BSA]] Ltd. || GB || gasoline engines 35-60 PS for motorcycle
|-
|29.09.1972 || [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] || JP || gasoline engines 20-80 PS for motorcycle
|-
|04.10.1971 || [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries|Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.]] || JP || gasoline engines 20-80 PS for motorcycle
|-
|03.02.1973 || [[American Motors]] (AMC) [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_2000_Feb/ai_62965382] || USA || gasoline engines 20-200 PS
|}
==Honors and awards==
*Honorary doctorate degree from [[Technische Universität München]], [[December 5]], [[1969]].
*The Federation of German Engineers (VDI) Gold Medal, 1969.
*The Grand Federal Service Cross, Germany's highest civilian honor, 1970
*The Franklin Medal, [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], 1971.
*The Bavarian Service Medal, 1973.
*The "Honour Citizen" of [[Lahr]],1981, and the title of Professor in 1987.
*The Soichiro Honda Medal, 1987.
*Honorary citizenship of [[Lindau]] (declined)
==See also==
*[[Wankel engine]]
*[[NSU Ro 80]]
*[[Norton Commander (motorcycle)|Norton Commander]] motorcycle
*[[Citroën GS#GS Birotor|Citroën GS Birotor]]
*[[Mazda RX-7]]
*[[Mazda RX-8]]
*[[VAZ Motor Car Works]]
*[[Aixro]]
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
*{{US patent|2988008}}
*[http://www.carbibles.com/fuel_engine_bible.html The Fuel and Engine Bible] - A good resource for different engine types and fuels
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wankel, Felix}}
[[Category:1902 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:German engineers]]
[[Category:German inventors]]
[[Category:People from Heidelberg]]
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