Roland Payen is one of aviation's forgotten pioneers; in his case, of the delta wing. He designed a wide range of delta planes and managed to build a few prototypes pre-WW2. The Payen Pa.22/2 Flechair (Arrow) was a test plane for a Payen fighter, but although completed by 1940 was not flown. The French conspired not to tell the LW pilot that came for it that it had not flown, expecting him to crash on his way to Rechlin. Amazingly, the flight went well and the LW pilot arrived with the Flechair intact. Germany rejected this design b/c unknown to the Allies, Dr. Lippisch was at work with Messerschmitt on the DFS deltas that led to the Me-163 rocket fighter and an even greater range of proposed supersonic Lippisch deltas. Sadly, the Flechair was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944 after the a/c had been returned to France. Payen flew a few deltas postwar, but could not get the interest of the French Govt. which placed all its faith in Dassault. Meanwhile, Dr. Lippisch came to the US to work for Conviar which led to the XF-92, XF2Y Sea Dart, F-102, F-106, and B-58 deltas.

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