Hannover H 1 Vampyr
Hannoversche Waggonfabrik (HaWa) · Germany · first flew 1921 · glider
The Hannover H 1 Vampyr was a German glider designed by Georg Madelung for the 1921 Rhön gliding competition at the Wasserkuppe. It is believed to be the first heavier-than-air aircraft to use stressed skin.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Single-spar wing with a plywood-covered D-box leading edge, mounted on top of the fuselage with short lift struts |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-spar wing with a plywood-covered D-box leading edge, mounted on top of the fuselage with short lift struts
- Plywood stressed-skin fuselage of hexagonal cross-section ahead of the wing
- Undercarriage of three balls: one in the nose and two side by side under the wing
A high-wing glider with a long, high-aspect-ratio wing and a deep box fuselage enclosing the pilot up to the head.
Specifications
- The Hannover H 1 Vampyr has a length of 5.54 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.6 m (41 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Madelung designed it with students at the Hannover technical institute, and it was built in wood at the Hannoversche Waggonfabrik workshops. The wing was in three parts, a rectangular centre section and two tapered outer panels. It had a conventional fin, rudder and all-flying tailplane.
Variants
For 1922 the outer panels were replaced by parallel, swept sections with wing warping. Only one was built.
Where you'll see it
Flown by Arthur Martens in 1921, it won the prize for the highest glide coefficient and prizes for longest distance and lowest sinking speed, though a launch accident cost it a higher placing. Several historical societies regard it as the precursor of modern sailplanes.
Related aircraft
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