Schempp-Hirth Cirrus
Schempp-Hirth · Germany · first flew 1967 · glider
The Schempp-Hirth Cirrus is an Open Class glider built by Schempp-Hirth between 1967 and 1971 and by VTC until 1977.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Cruciform |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Mid-set cantilever wings with a 17.74 m span
- Conventional low-set cruciform tailplane
- Top-and-bottom air brakes and a drag chute built into the bottom of the rudder
It has no flaps, retractable undercarriage and can carry water ballast in the wings. It was replaced by the Nimbus 2.
Specifications
- The Schempp-Hirth Cirrus has a length of 7.2 m (24 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.74 m (58 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed by Klaus Holighaus and was the first glass-fibre glider built by Schempp-Hirth. The prototype flew in 1967 with a V-tail and won the German Open Class that year.
Variants
The first prototype had an all-flying V-tail. The Standard Cirrus versions have a 15 m span and a T-tail, and VTC built the Cirrus under licence in Yugoslavia.
Where you'll see it
By 1971, 107 had been built in Germany, and VTC at Vršac built a further 63. Harro Wodl won the 1968 World Gliding Championships in the open class in one.
Related aircraft
- Schempp-Hirth HS-3 Nimbus
- Schempp-Hirth Milan GS 6
- Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4
- Göppingen Gö 9
- Aeritalia/Aermacchi AM-3
- Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-8
- Beagle Pup
- Bellanca Viking
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.