Akaflieg Darmstadt D-17 Darmstadt
Akaflieg Darmstadt · Germany · first flew 1927 · glider
The Akaflieg Darmstadt D-17 Darmstadt, also called the Darmstadt I, was a high-performance single-seat cantilever monoplane sailplane designed and built by German university students in 1927.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Oval plywood fuselage with the open cockpit just ahead of the wing leading edge |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High cantilever single-spar wing on a low faired pylon, 16 m in span
- Outer wing panels taper in chord and thickness to elliptical tips
- Oval plywood fuselage with the open cockpit just ahead of the wing leading edge
A long, high-set wing, a short pylon, an unscreened cockpit and all-moving tail surfaces with a large rudder.
Specifications
- The Akaflieg Darmstadt D-17 Darmstadt has a length of 6.37 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16 m (52 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The student group at the Technical University of Darmstadt built it with a wood-framed wing in three parts: a 6 m constant-chord centre section and tapered outer panels with the Gottingen 535 profile. Its first flight was in 1927.
Variants
The 1928 D-19 Darmstadt 2 was a close relative with a 2 m longer span and a new wing profile.
Where you'll see it
It was one of a range of designs from the group and was professionally built outside the university.
Related aircraft
- Laubenthal Württemberg
- Darmstadt D-18
- Akaflieg Darmstadt D-7 Margarete
- Akaflieg Darmstadt D-9 Konsul
- ANBO II
- Avia BH-27
- Avia BH-29
- Avimeta 92
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