Glasflügel H-301 Libelle

Glasflügel · Germany · first flew 1964 · glider

The Glasflügel H-301 Libelle (Dragonfly) is a German single-seat Standard Class fibreglass sailplane that set new standards for glider performance when it appeared in 1964.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × none, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	Very clean pod-and-boom fuselage with T-tail on some variants
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Unpowered sailplane — no engine
Single-seat Standard Class glider in fibreglass
Very clean pod-and-boom fuselage with T-tail on some variants

A slender pod-and-boom sailplane with a 15-metre tapered wing, very smooth GRP skin, and a small enclosed cockpit; the clean profile with no visible engine distinguishes it from powered aircraft.

Specifications

The Glasflügel H-301 Libelle has a length of 6.14 m (20 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by Eugen Hänle and Björn Mühlbauer, the Libelle was one of the first successful composite sailplanes and helped establish Glasflügel as a leading manufacturer. Its smooth GRP construction delivered a high glide ratio and influenced subsequent glider design worldwide.

Variants

The H-301B Libelle 201 followed with refinements; the Club Libelle was a simplified variant. The Mosquito developed the concept into a 15-metre class aircraft.

Where you'll see it

Widely flown in club and competition soaring across Europe and beyond; the Libelle became a classic of 1960s–1970s club gliding.

Related aircraft

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