[1] Born in Eddersheim (today a district of Hattersheim am Main), Flettner made important contributions to airplane, helicopter, vessel, and automobile designs.

[4] Flettner subsequently taught high school mathematics and physics in Frankfurt, where he developed ideas that would assist Germany in World War I.

[6][7] From 1914 to 1918 Anton Flettner worked at the German Ministry for War in the development of remote controls for air, water, and land vehicles.

[1] At the age of 29, Flettner presented his first invention, a steerable torpedo, to the Kriegsmarine (German Imperial Navy) of World War I.

[2] This, and his next invention, a remote-controlled combat car, which was presented to the Heer (German Army), were rejected because they were not considered to be technically feasible.

[2] However, Flettner's efforts culminated in the prototype Siemens Schuckert Werke 1000 kg wire guided air to surface missile of 1918.

[12][13] It has been widely used on buses, vans, boats, railroad cars, campervans, and trucks to assist cooling in warm weather.

[14] The Buckau was a schooner refitted with two rotating 50-foot cylinders and was the first vessel built with a propulsion system based on the Magnus effect.

[7] Flettner used sand, flowing over his rotating hand, to describe the Magnus effect and realized its potential for sail propulsion.

[1] Plans for mass production of 1,000 Flettner Fl 282 helicopters by BMW were disrupted when allied forces bombed the designated factory.

[22] Flettner and Kurt Hohenemser, who together developed numerous patents in Germany, kept in close contact after both men emigrated to the United States.

[9] Throughout his 14 years in the United States, Flettner was active in carrying out research projects for the US Army, US Air Force, and the US Navy.