Raab-Katzenstein RK-26 Tigerschwalbe
Raab-Katzenstein · Weimar Republic · first flew 1929 · light aircraft
The RK-26 Tigerschwalbe was a German two-seat aerobatic biplane trainer developed by Raab-Katzenstein to Gerhard Fieseler's order, after Fieseler had set a world inverted-flight record at Zurich in 1927 and won the 1928 German aerobatic championship on an earlier Raab-Katzenstein Schwalbe.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.55 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Compact two-seat aerobatic biplane with equal-span wings
- Open tandem cockpits for instructor and student
- Later seen in Swedish Air Force training colours as the Sk 10
A trim, equal-span aerobatic biplane; Swedish-operated examples are recognisable by their Flygvapnet training colours and Sk 10 markings.
Specifications
- The Raab-Katzenstein RK-26 Tigerschwalbe has a length of 6.55 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.4 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 190 km/h (118 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in April 1929, it caught the attention of the Swedish Air Force, which invited Fieseler to demonstrate the type in December 1930; Swedish manufacturer ASJA then built 25 examples under licence as the Sk 10 trainer.
Variants
The Swedish-built Sk 10s differed from the German originals in equipment and were about 200kg heavier, which noticeably changed their handling.
Where you'll see it
Sk 10s trained Swedish Air Force pilots from 1932 until 1945; the sole surviving example is preserved at the Flygvapenmuseum in Sweden.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.