BSV Luftikus
Berliner Segelflug-Verein · Germany · first flew 1929 · glider
The BSV Luftikus was a German competition glider designed for economy of construction and first flown in 1929. From 1929 to 1931 it took part in the annual Rhon contests on the Wasserkuppe.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Unusually narrow fuselage with very small fin and tailplane and a broad, almost quadrant rudder |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Cantilever parasol wing held on two almost vertical streamlined steel struts and a slender central pylon
- Rectangular centre section over about a third of the span, with double-tapered outer panels ending in semicircular tips
- Unusually narrow fuselage with very small fin and tailplane and a broad, almost quadrant rudder
The wing is built around a single spar with a plywood torsion box ahead of it. The wood-framed fuselage is hexagonal in section forward and rectangular aft, with the pilot sitting under the wing leading edge.
Specifications
- The BSV Luftikus has a length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Berlin Segelflug-Verein began the design in about 1927 with its designer Otto Hohmuth, aiming for a low-cost machine that was simple to build and without the long wings of the highest-performing gliders. It first flew in May 1929.
Variants
Three were built. One was used by the Magdeburg police glider club, and another, built by Hans Bohnert, was shot down during the German invasion of Norway.
Where you'll see it
At the 1929 Rhon, Otto Bedau won the B class with flights of over six minutes and a maximum altitude of 610 m. He flew it in the next two Rhons and finished runner-up in 1930.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.