Akaflieg Berlin Teufelchen
Akaflieg Berlin · Germany · first flew 1922 · glider
The Akaflieg Berlin Teufelchen ('Little Devil') was a single-seat experimental sailplane built by the student aviation group at the Technische Hochschule Berlin around 1922, notable for its all-wood and aluminium-sheet construction and wingtip warping roll control.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unpowered sailplane — no engine
- All-wood with aluminium sheet skin — unusual for a 1920s glider
- Wingtip warping instead of ailerons for roll control
Tiny five-metre fuselage under a generous 11.5 m straight high wing; wingtip warping in place of ailerons is an archaic control feature that distinguishes it from later student-built gliders.
Specifications
- The Akaflieg Berlin Teufelchen has a length of 5 m (16 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.5 m (38 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Completed in 1922 and entered in the Rossitten soaring competitions in 1923, the Teufelchen was associated with the early career of Kurt Tank, later designer of the Fw 190. The aircraft was completed with assistance from LFG-Stralsund.
Variants
A single example only.
Where you'll see it
Used for early soaring competition in Germany; not a production or service type.
Related aircraft
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