Scheibe Bergfalke
| Bergfalke |
| Role |
Sailplane |
| National origin |
Germany |
| Manufacturer |
Scheibe |
| Designer |
Egon Scheibe |
| First flight |
5 August 1951 |
| Number built |
>320 by 1982 |
| Developed from |
Akaflieg München Mü13 |
The Scheibe Bergfalke (German: "mountain hawk") is a German glider designed by Egon Scheibe as a post-World War II development of the Akaflieg München Mü13 produced before and during the war. The prototype flew on 5 August 1951 as the Akaflieg München Mü13E Bergfalke I and by the end of the year, Scheibe had established his own works at the Munich-Riem Airport to produce the type as the Bergfalke II.[1] It was a mid-wing sailplane of conventional design with a non-retractable monowheel undercarriage and a tailskid.[2] The fuselage was a welded steel structure covered in fabric and enclosed two seats in tandem.[2] The wings had a single wooden spar and were covered in plywood.[2]
Subsequent versions introduced forward sweep to the wings, a more aerodynamic canopy, airbrakes, and a tailwheel in place of the tailskid.[3] By 1982, Scheibe had built over 300 of these aircraft, and Stark Ibérica built a number of the Bergfalke III version under license in Spain.[3] Scheibe also developed a motorglider version as the Bergfalke IVM[3] but this did not enter production.[2]
In 1976, two Bergfalke motorgliders participated in the Sixth German Motor Glider Competition. Later, one of these aircraft set a world 300 km triangle record.[4]
Variants
- Mü13E Bergfalke I
- Prototype
- Bergfalke II
- First production version, 4° forward sweep on wings[3]
- Bergfalke II/55
- Skopil Bergfalke II/55
- Motorglider conversion done by Arnold Skopil of Aberdeen, Washington, United States in 1957. One converted.[5][6]
- Bergfalke III
- Streamlined canopy, taller fin and rudder, Schempp-Hirth airbrakes, 2° forward sweep on wings[3]
- Bergfalke IV
- Wing of Wortmann section with 60-cm (2-ft) greater span[3]
- Bergfalke IVM
- Motorglider version with 39-kW (52-hp) Hirth O-28 engine mounted on retractable pylon behind cockpit.[3]
Specifications (Bergfalke IV)
Data from Taylor, J.W.R. (1977), p.594
General characteristics
- Crew: two
- Length: 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 17.20 m (56 ft 5 in)
- Height: 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 17.0 m2 (183 ft2)
- Aspect ratio: 15.6
- Wing profile: Wortmann SO 2
- Empty weight: 300 kg (661 lb)
- Gross weight: 500 kg (1,102 lb)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
- Maximum glide ratio: 34
- Rate of sink: 0.75 m/s (148 ft/min)
Notes
- ^ Hardy 1982, p.79
- ^ a b c d Taylor, J.W.R. (1977), p.594
- ^ a b c d e f g Hardy 1982, p.80
- ^ Coates 1978, p.67
- ^ Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 131. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
- ^ Activate Media (2006). "Bergfalke Scheibe". http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=38. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
References
- Coates, Andrew (1978). Jane's World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders. London: MacDonald and Jane's. pp. 67.
- Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders and Sailplanes of the World. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 79–80.
- Taylor, John W. R. (1977). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Yearbooks. pp. 528.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 793.
External links
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