Scheibe Spatz Explained
The Scheibe Spatz (German: "Sparrow") is a German glider with a mixed metal and wood construction that was built in 1952 until 1962. Later versions were known as the L-Spatz, the letter L standing for Leistung, which is German for "performance".
Scheibe Flugzeugbau built the Spatz A in 1952. Two years later in 1954 the first L-Spatz 55 was airborne. Three hundred L-Spatz 55s were built in Germany, 155 in France under the name Avialsa A.60 Fauconnet, and 16 in Italy as the Meteor MS-30 L Passero; production was discontinued in 1962.
It is a single-seater cantilever shoulder-winged sailplane with a cruising (max L/D) speed of 45 mph. It has an empty weight of 157 kg and a maximum take-off weight of 269 kg. The single spar wing and tail were constructed using fabric-covered wood, whereas the fuselage consisted of steel tubing covered with fabric.
The L-Spatz 55 has good climbing performance due to light construction. The glide angle is 29:1. The longest known cross-country flight was more than 600 km from Burg Feuerstein, Germany to France.
Many gliding clubs operated the L-Spatz 55, well known for its easy handling, including easy recovery from a spin.
Variants
- Spatz A
Certified in 1952 with a 13.20 metre wingspan, 6.19 m length.
- Spatz B
Strengthened and improved variant with a 13.20 metre wingspan, 6.19 m length, certified in 1952.
- Spatz 55
Certified in 1952 with a 13.20 metre wingspan, 6.25 m length.
- L-Spatz
Certified in 1954 with a 15.00 metre wingspan, 6.05 m length.
- L-Spatz 55
Certified in 1954 with a 15.00 metre wingspan, 6.25 m length.
- L-Spatz III
Certified in 1966 with a 15.00 metre wingspan, 6.25 m length.
- Avialsa 60 Fauconnet
Licence production in France.
- Meteor MS-30 L-Passero
Licence production in Italy.
- Electravia Electro Light 2
Electric aircraft version powered by an electric drive system, with a nose-mounted propeller.[1] Aircraft on display
References
- Book: Shenstone, B.S.. The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde. 1958. Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. Zurich. 68–72. 1st. K.G. Wilkinson . English, French, German.
External links
Notes and References
- Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 166. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.
- Web site: Sailplanes in Our Collection. 28 July 2011. National Soaring Museum. National Soaring Museum. 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110516142717/http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html. 16 May 2011.
