SZD SZD-21 Kobuz
Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny · Polish People's Republic · first flew 1961 · glider
The SZD-21 Kobuz is a Polish single-seat training glider developed in the early 1960s for club and sport soaring. It was designed by Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny as an intermediate-level sailplane.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.25 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unpowered sailplane — no engine
- Long straight high-mounted wings
- Polish training glider with tandem cockpit
Identified by its long straight high-mounted wings, slender fuselage, and absence of any powerplant. The clean, simple lines are typical of Polish intermediate training gliders of the era.
Specifications
- The SZD SZD-21 Kobuz has a length of 7.25 m (24 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 250 km/h (155 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1961, the Kobuz was developed to fill the need for a capable training glider in Polish aviation clubs. It entered service with aero clubs across Poland and was used to transition pilots from primary gliders to higher-performance sailplanes. Several dozen were built for domestic use.
Variants
The Kobuz series was produced in limited numbers and did not see extensive variant development beyond minor refinements to the basic airframe.
Where you'll see it
Operated primarily by Polish aero clubs and gliding schools throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s.
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