| Spatz | |
|---|---|
| L-Spatz 55 D-1738 | |
| Role | Sailplane |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Scheibe |
| First flight | 1952 |
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 were produced in France under the name A.60 Fauconnet, and 16 produced under in Italy named MS-30 L Passero. This model 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. Recovery from a spin in the L-Spatz 55 is easy.
General characteristics
Performance
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