Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-18
Encyclopedia
{
The Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-18 was a glider designed and built in Germany
from 1938. It was characterized by a gull wing. Only one example of the design was constructed.
. The result was the FS-18 which was a high-wing cantilever monoplane with gulled centre section, to ensure that the wings joined the fuselage at 90 degrees, rectangular midsection and tapered outer section. Flaps were fitted to the trailing edge of the midsection to 30% chord, and ailerons were mounted on the trailing edges of the outer wing sections. The fuselage consisted of the cockpit pod smoothly narrowing to a boom-like rear fuselage supporting the tail unit. The mono-wheel undercarriage was manually retractable into an enclosed wheel well. After the first flight on 21 July 1938, testing of the FS-18 continued until 7 December 1938 when the FS-18 crashed, killing pilot Ernst Scheible.
The Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-18 was a glider designed and built in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from 1938. It was characterized by a gull wing. Only one example of the design was constructed.
Development
With the experience gained from the Rhön gliding competitions, the students at Akaflieg Stuttgart (Akademische Fliegergruppe – academic flying group) designed the FS-18, which was able to turn tightly in thermals and had a relatively low sink rate, over the six months preceding the next Rhön competition at WasserkuppeWasserkuppe
The Wasserkuppe is a high plateau , the highest peak in the Rhön Mountains within the German state of Hessen. Between the first and second World Wars, during the era of the so-called Golden Age of Aviation, great advances in sailplane development were made there.Remark: The German wording takes its...
. The result was the FS-18 which was a high-wing cantilever monoplane with gulled centre section, to ensure that the wings joined the fuselage at 90 degrees, rectangular midsection and tapered outer section. Flaps were fitted to the trailing edge of the midsection to 30% chord, and ailerons were mounted on the trailing edges of the outer wing sections. The fuselage consisted of the cockpit pod smoothly narrowing to a boom-like rear fuselage supporting the tail unit. The mono-wheel undercarriage was manually retractable into an enclosed wheel well. After the first flight on 21 July 1938, testing of the FS-18 continued until 7 December 1938 when the FS-18 crashed, killing pilot Ernst Scheible.