Nimbus-4D

Schempp-Hirth · Germany · first flew 1995 · glider

The Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4D is a single-seat, open-class high-performance sailplane offering a 26.4-metre wingspan and exceptional glide performance for long-distance cross-country soaring.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × none, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	Slim fuselage; large water ballast capacity
T — Tail	T-tail

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Spot it by:

Very high aspect-ratio 26.4 m wingspan open-class sailplane
T-tail with swept fin
Slim fuselage; large water ballast capacity

Exceptionally long straight-tapered wings with upturned winglets; very slim fuselage; T-tail; no engine nacelle visible from outside.

Specifications

The Nimbus-4D has a length of 8.73 m (29 ft).
It has a wingspan of 26.4 m (87 ft).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

Schempp-Hirth introduced the Nimbus-4 series in 1991 to succeed the Nimbus-3, pushing open-class wingspan to 26.4 metres with refined carbon-fibre construction and a best glide ratio exceeding 60:1. The Nimbus-4D designation denotes the definitive single-seat production variant with T-tail and refined winglets.

Variants

Nimbus-4 (baseline); Nimbus-4D (refined single-seat); Nimbus-4DM (self-launching motor glider); Nimbus-4T (two-seat).

Where you'll see it

Used extensively in FAI open-class competitions and for world record distance attempts; the type has set numerous world and national soaring records.

Related aircraft

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