Schempp-Hirth HS-3 Nimbus
Schempp-Hirth · Germany · first flew 1969 · glider
The Schempp-Hirth HS-3 Nimbus was a prototype open-class glider built by Klaus Holighaus.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | T-tail on the Open Class Cirrus fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Open-class glider with a 22 m wing in three segments
- High-set wing
- T-tail on the Open Class Cirrus fuselage
A high-performance single-seater with a high-set 22 m wing in three segments and no air brakes.
Specifications
- The Schempp-Hirth HS-3 Nimbus has a length of 7.3 m (24 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22 m (72 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Holighaus designed and built it in his spare time with assistance from Schempp-Hirth. It used the fuselage of the Open Class Cirrus with a similar tail and a new wing, and first flew in January 1969.
Variants
Only one prototype was built. The production version of the Nimbus was the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-2.
Where you'll see it
George Moffat of the USA flew it in the 1970 World Gliding Championships at Marfa, Texas. It had a best glide ratio of 51:1 and a minimum sink rate of 0.43 m/s.
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- Schempp-Hirth Cirrus
- Schempp-Hirth Milan GS 6
- Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4
- Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus
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- Beechcraft Baron 58
- Bertoni Altinger AB-1 Superalbatros
- Bulldog
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