Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-5 Eichelsdorfer SB-5
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The Akaflieg, or Akademische Fliegergruppe, of Brunswick (Braunschweig) University designed and built the SB-5 Danzig being a Standard Class (15m span) single-seater which first flew in prototype form on 3 June, 1959.
The type is of conventional all-wood construction, with a single spar shoulder wing with plywood covering and a butterfly tail; Schempp-Hirth air brakes are situated at the 50% chord line. The landing gear is a non-retractable unsprung monowheel with a friction brake, and there is also a tailskid. The plywood monocoque fuselage has an outer coating of glassfibre.
The SB-5C, which first flew in 1965, incorporated several design changes. The SB-5E, which entered production in 1974, had the wing span increased to 16m (52ft 6in) to comply with Club Class regulations. SB-5B or SB-5C Danzigs can be modified up to SB-5E standard.
Licence production was undertaken by Firma Eichelsdorfer at Bemberg, and over 100 SB-5s of all variants were built.
Wing span: 16.2m
SB-5C Danzig
Span: 49 ft 2.5 in
Length overall: 21 ft 10 in
Wing area: 140 sq.ft
Aspect ratio: 17.3
Empty equipped weight: 485 lb
Max take-off weight. 716 lb
Max speed: 124 mph (in smooth air)
Min sinking speed: 2.07 ft/sec at 41 mph
Best glide ratio: 32.5:1 at 48 mph
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