F.V.D. Stehaufchen
Flugtechnischer Verein Dresden · Germany · first flew 1921 · glider
The F.V.D. Stehaufchen, later called the Akaflieg Dresden D-B1 Stehaufchen, was an unequal-span biplane glider designed and built in Germany in 1921.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Upper wing held high above the fuselage on inverted-V struts, with the lower wing on the lower fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unequal-span biplane glider with an unusually large 1.50 m gap between the wings
- Upper wing held high above the fuselage on inverted-V struts, with the lower wing on the lower fuselage
- Single-seat biplane glider of the early 1920s
Look for a small wooden biplane glider with a broad fuselage, a very tall gap between the wings and skids instead of wheels.
Specifications
- The F.V.D. Stehaufchen has a length of 4.8 m (16 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8 m (26 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Three Dresden technical-university students designed it, and the biplane layout was chosen for strength and to fit the 4.20 m rail transport limit. Building began on 11 June 1921 and it first flew about ten weeks later, on 23 August, on the Wasserkuppe.
Variants
After rail damage the upper wing span was increased from 8 m to 9 m. There were no other variants.
Where you'll see it
It was the most successful biplane at the 1921 Rhön contest and won first prize for total time in the air at the 1922 contest. It also trained several pilots to gain their certificates, and was destroyed in a crash in 1923.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.