Scheibe Spatz
{{Short description|Single-seat German glider, 1952}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2007}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name=Spatz
| image=L-Spatz 55 D-1738 EDMB 20050925.jpg
| caption=L-Spatz 55 D-1738
| type=Sailplane
| national_origin=Germany
| manufacturer=Scheibe
| designer=
| first_flight=1952
| introduction=
| retired=
| status=
| primary_user=
| number_built=471 (L-Spatz)
| developed_from=
| variants=
}}
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.
File:Avialsa-A60-01.jpg (France) field]]
;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.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 166. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Aircraft on display
- Museum für Luftfahrt und Technik
- National Soaring Museum{{cite web|url = http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html|title = Sailplanes in Our Collection|accessdate = 28 July 2011|last = National Soaring Museum|author-link = National Soaring Museum|year = 2011|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110516142717/http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html|archivedate = 16 May 2011}}
- Museum of Military Technique GRYF in Dąbrówka near Wejherowo (Poland)
Specifications (L-Spatz 55)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde {{cite book|last=Shenstone|first=B.S.|title=The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde|year=1958|publisher=Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue|location=Zurich|pages=68–72|edition=1st|author2=K.G. Wilkinson |language=English, French, German}}
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=1
|capacity=
|length m=6.25
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=15
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=11.7
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=19
|airfoil=Mü-Profil 14%
|empty weight kg=153
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=265
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|more general=
|perfhide=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=180
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
- Rough air speed max: {{convert|110|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on}}
- Aerotow speed: {{convert|110|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on}}
- Winch launch max speed: {{convert|90|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on}}
- Terminal velocity: {{convert|200|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on|1}}
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|g limits=+4 -2
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=29 at {{convert|80|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on}}
|sink rate ms=0.58
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=at {{convert|67|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on}}
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=22.6
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
See also
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book|last=Shenstone|first=B.S.|title=The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde|year=1958|publisher=Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue|location=Zurich|pages=68–72|edition=1st|author2=K.G. Wilkinson |language=English, French, German}}
{{refend}}
External links
{{commons category|Scheibe Spatz}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20020503070540/http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=217 L-Spatz on sailplanedirectory.com]
{{Scheibe aircraft}}