The Teichfuss Nibio (the German-speaking Teichfuss’s spelling of the Italian Nibbio or English: Kite) was an Italian single seat glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss.

The original Nibio, the Nibio I was designed as a primary glider and was built in the Royal Aircraft factory at Pavullo nel Frignano Airport during 1929. Apart from its span of 12.5 m (41 ft 0 in), empty weight of 145 kg (320 lb) and all-up weight of 220 kg (485 lb) very little information on it exists. Some launches were made by aerotow, behind an Aviatik from Taliedo. The Nibio II, sometimes known as the Nibio II Freccia Nera (English: Black Arrow) followed the next year with a new wing. Its greater span, increased by 900 mm (35 in), provided an increase in aspect ratio. Despite its longer wing the Nibio II was 20 kg (44 lb) lighter.

The Nibio II was a high-wing monoplane with its wing braced by a single faired strut on each side, joining the lower fuselage to the outer end of the central panel at about one third span. This central panel was rectangular in plan and was without dihedral. The outer panels were straight tapered to blunt tips, the wing becoming thinner and thus acquiring dihedral though retaining a horizontal upper surface. Ailerons occupied the whole trailing edges of these outer panels; there were no inboard flaps or air brakes.

Its wood framed, plywood skinned fuselage was hexagonal in cross section, tapering markedly on its underside towards the tail. The wing was mounted on a pedestal which sloped away aft into the upper fuselage. The pilot’s cockpit, open behind a small windscreen, was immediately ahead of the pedestal and below the wing leading edge. The tail surfaces were straight tapered and straight tipped, with the tailplane mounted on the fuselage. The rudder extended down to the keel, operating within a small cut-out between the elevators and protected from the ground by a small underfin which served as a tail bumper. There was a short landing skid running from near the nose to just aft of the wing strut.

Only one of each version was ever built.

Nibio I
Wingspan: 12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 145 kg (320 lb)
All-up weight: 220 kg (485 lb)

Nibio II Freccia Nera
Wingspan: 13.40 m (44 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 12.60 m2 (135.6 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 14.2
Airfoil: Göttingen 535 and NACA M6
Length: 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Height: 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)
Empty weight: 125 kg (276 lb)
Gross weight: 210 kg (463 lb)
Wing loading: 16.7 kg/m2 (3.4 lb/sq ft)
Maximum glide ratio: estimated 19:1
Rate of sink: 0.8 m/s (160 ft/min) minimum
Capacity: One

The Teichfuss Balilla was an Italian single seat primary glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss.

In 1939 Luigi Teichfuss designed an improved version of the Nibio I, the Balilla. It was a simple, low cost, robust, high wing, strut braced monoplane with an unswept, constant chord, elliptically tipped wing. Mounted with dihedral, this was supported over the fuselage on a narrow pedestal and braced on each side by a parallel pair of faired lift struts from the lower fuselage to the wings at about half span.

Its fuselage was wood framed, flat sided and plywood skinned. Its cockpit, open but with a small windscreen, was immediately ahead of the wing leading edge; there were no instruments. The Balilla’s tail surfaces were all straight edged: the tailplane, single strut braced from below, had a sharply swept leading edge and carried elevators with angled tips and a cut-out for rudder movement. The vertical tail was tapered with a squared tip; the rudder reached to the keel, where it was protected by a wire loop tail bumper. Elevators and the rudder lacked aerodynamic balances. A conventional skid, running from the nose to below the wing trailing edge formed the undercarriage.

The Ballila first flew in 1939. Ten were built, serving all the gliding schools of the R.U.N.A. It could be winch launched and was straightforward to fly, training novice pilots to their B-certificate.

Wingspan: 12.50 m (41 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 16.6 m2 (179 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 9.4
Airfoil: Göttingen 535
Length: 6.38 m (20 ft 11 in)
Height: 1.48 m (4 ft 10 in)
Empty weight: 126 kg (278 lb)
Gross weight: 211 kg (465 lb)
Maximum glide ratio: estimated 17:1
Rate of sink: 0.85 m/s (167 ft/min) minimum
Wing loading: 11.6 kg/m2 (2.4 lb/sq ft)
Seats: One