Slice sparrow

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sparrow
L-Sparrow 55
Type: Glider
Design country:

Germany Federal RepublicFederal Republic of Germany BR Germany

Manufacturer:

Scheiben-Flugzeugbau GmbH

Number of pieces:

about 500

The Sparrow is a single-seat glider in a composite construction . The aircraft was finished or (mostly) delivered as a kit for amateur and group building. The basic equipment consisted of the welded tubular steel frame as well as the main spars with fittings and the plans.

history

After gliding was permitted again in Germany on April 28, 1951 , the demand for single-seat aircraft for the up-and-coming performance gliding also increased in the glider clubs. With the Spatz A developed disc - as the second construction - the complement to single-seat Mü 13 E, Bergfalke I . Although the sparrows proved to be very agile, due to their low wing restriction (with the exception of L-Spatz III ) they had the poor quality of tipping over the surface and going into a tailspin when they were in excessive flight condition - without special warning . However, this condition could be ended immediately by rapid counter-rudder (standard procedure). With around 500 units built, the Spatz series was the most successful glider from the company Scheibe-Flugzeugbau GmbH. Characteristic of the sparrows was the "whistling" that was triggered by the aileron column. The Franconian aircraft manufacturer Babtist Hofmann flew with an L-Spatz from his own workshop from Forchheim over 600 km to France.

construction

Typical structure of all sparrows

hull

Example L-Spatz 55: The fuselage consists of a tubular steel framework and additional molded strips made of spruce wood. Originally all sparrows only had a spring-loaded runner and the ground was transported by means of an attachable kuller . Later a central wheel was introduced, which was far behind the center of gravity. When the pilot boarded the machine, the aircraft tilted onto its runner, on which take-off and landing continued. The originally angular canopy with struts could later be replaced by a blown one-piece canopy. For the conversion, there was a GRP shell that clad the upper front part of the fuselage. The same hood and shell were also used for the Bergfalken II and III and the SF 26 disc. The ladder-like auxiliary structure for the side moldings as well as an additional molding on the back of the fuselage, which was not found on all machines (all sparrows were individually modified by their builders), is clearly visible. The coupling for the winch start is laterally offset to the left because of the runner, the nose coupling can be reached through a sheet metal cover on the nose. In the area of ​​the runner, the fabric covering was mostly not impregnated and often provided with zippers to access the coupling and control. These areas were more difficult to access by removing the seat board (or seat shell) and the floor board.

Wings and tail unit

The wings and tail unit are designed in the classic spar-rib construction. Due to the slim wings, the disc used the high-strength beech plywood (TBu 20) for the main spar and a torsion nose made of Tegofilm -glued birch plywood. The nose is shanked every four rib fields, which can be seen in the dark areas (Aerodux aircraft glue). Also typical are the DFS rotary brake flaps, which are hinged via a torsion tube that is automatically connected during assembly. On the top, the flaps extend around the axis of rotation from back to front, and vice versa on the bottom. In the picture you can see the torsion tube behind the spar, as well as the diagonal “shoulder tube” that supports the spar towards the rear surface fitting. The wing is connected to the fuselage by four short bolts that are attached to the fuselage frame.

Assembly

When assembling, the left wing is first positioned and secured with a small auxiliary bolt (assembly bolt). Then the right surface is positioned and the main bolt is inserted from above and secured. Then the mounting bolt is removed again, the horizontal stabilizer is put on and screwed on and the ailerons and the elevator are connected and secured with loose bolts. At the end a sheet metal cover is attached over the hull, which is still open at the top. Well-rehearsed teams do not need the assembly bolt and the wings are assembled within 1–2 minutes. It usually takes a little longer to attach the elevator bolt through the small handhole cover on the left side of the fuselage and to secure it.

Versions

Sparrow A and Sparrow B

B-Sparrow D-9003

These gliders were the predecessors of the Spatz series. About 35 of the middle deckers with a span of 13.20 m were built. At least one of these "little" sparrows was re-declared from an airplane to an ultra-light aerial sports device and flies with DN ... license plates in Bad Kissingen.

L-sparrow

  • Middle decker, wingspan 15 m
  • Glide ratio : 29 at 73 km / h
  • Copies built: approx. 40

Sparrow 55

The Spatz 55 was an improved variant of the B-Spatz, with a wingspan of also 13.20 m, but as a shoulder wing . Other changes to the B-Spatz were a significant reduction in the ailerons from 1.80 m² to 1.33 m², a 6 cm longer and aerodynamically improved fuselage, as well as an increase in the armament mass by 15 kg to 135 kg and the payload by 10 kg to 110 kg. The first flight of the Spatz 55 - also approved for self-construction - took place in 1954. A total of around 15 copies were built.

  • Use: single-seat training and performance aircraft
  • Span: 13.20 m
  • Body length: 6.25 m
  • Height: 1.20 m
  • Wing area with ailerons: 10.90 m²
  • Ailerons area: 1.33 m²
  • Wing extension: 16.00
  • Wing profile: Mü profile, 14%
  • Setup mass: 135 kg
  • Payload: 110 kg
  • Max. Takeoff weight: 245 kg
  • Max. Wing loading: 22.47 kg / m²
  • Minimum speed: 50 km / h
  • Maximum permitted speeds:
  • in calm weather: 175 km / h
  • in gusty weather: 110 km / h
  • Maximum speed of winch towing: 90 km / h
  • Maximum speed of aircraft tow: 110 km / h
  • Smallest sink: 0.67 m / s at 58 km / h
  • Best glide: 25 at 65 km / h

L-Sparrow 55

L-Spatz 55 D-1738
  • L-Spatz 55 with blown hood and round GRP front part
    Use: single-seat performance aircraft
  • Shoulder decker , wingspan 15 m
  • Wing area: 10.9 m²
  • Aspect ratio: 20.6
  • Max. Takeoff weight: 265 kg
  • Best glide: 29 at 73 km / h
  • Smallest sink: 0.68 m / s at 64 km / h
  • First flight: 1954
  • Series production: until 1962
  • Copies built:
    • approx. 300 in Germany, some also from the Eichelsdörfer company in Bamberg with additional pedal adjustment and changed wing tips
    • approx. 155 in France from Avialsa as A.60 Fauconnet
    • approx. 15 copies at Meteor in Italy as MS-30 L Passero

L-Sparrow III

The shoulder - wing wing was a further development of the L-Spatz 55 with a lower fuselage and improved slow flight characteristics through reinforced wing locks; about 36 copies were built.

Engine sparrow

1957 motor glider version derived from the L-Spatz 55 (→ see disc SF 24 ).

In 2012, Electravia in France converted an L-Spatz into a self-launching electric motor glider "Electravia Electro Light 2".

Club sparrow SF 30

The Club-Spatz SF 30 is actually no longer part of the “real” Spatzen series, but was Scheibe's contribution to the new club class, which was originally limited to a purchase price of DM 22,500. In terms of construction, it can be seen as the successor to the popular Zugvogel / SF 27 series with a damped horizontal stabilizer. Despite good flight performance and very pleasant, balanced flight characteristics, it could not prevail (similar to Schleicher's ASK 18 ) against the GRP constructions that were coming onto the market at the same time (e.g. glass wing 205 Club-Libelle ). A fully aerobatic variant with a wingspan of 13 m, the LCF 2, was presented as a unique piece by the Friedrichshafen Air Sports Club in 1975.

  • Middle decker, wingspan 15 m
  • Series production: until 1976
  • Buildings: 7 pieces

Received aircraft

Numerous sparrows are exhibited in museums or are kept in an airworthy condition by private individuals and associations. Since 1984 (at the Kempten-Durach airfield ) there has been a sparrow meeting every year , in 2007 in Weißenburg / Bavaria, in 2008 the 25th international sparrow meeting at the airfield in Birrfeld / Switzerland and in 2009 in Biberach.

The 33rd International Sparrow Meeting took place from May 26th to 29th, 2016 in Ohlstadt-Pömetsried.

See also

literature

  • Gerd Zipper: Falkenhorst. The history of the disk planes . Weishaupt, Gnas 1999, ISBN 3-7059-0059-5 .

Web links

Commons : Disk Sparrow  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 24th international sparrow meeting in Weißenburg i. Bay. June 7-10 , 2007 , accessed February 16, 2009