SZD-41 Jantar Standard
SZD (Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny) · Poland · first flew 1973 · glider
The SZD-41 Jantar Standard is a Polish Standard-class competition sailplane of the 1970s, one of the first glass-fibre designs from the SZD factory to achieve widespread international success.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.95 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Standard-class Polish glass-fibre sailplane of the 1970s
- T-tail and clean mid-mounted 15m tapered wings
- Single retractable monowheel undercarriage
Classic Standard-class sailplane silhouette: 15-metre span mid-wing with moderate taper and rounded tips. The T-tail is prominent. The fuselage is a smooth glass-fibre pod with a single retractable monowheel. Distinguished from contemporary German designs (e.g. LS-3, Astir) by its slightly fuller fuselage cross-section and more rounded wing tips.
Specifications
- The SZD-41 Jantar Standard has a length of 6.95 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed at the SZD works in Bielsko-Biała, the Jantar Standard entered competition in the mid-1970s and immediately proved competitive at international level, with Jantar variants winning medals at FAI World Championships. The glass-fibre construction marked a transition from the wooden aircraft that SZD had previously produced. It was produced in significant numbers and exported to gliding clubs across Europe and beyond.
Variants
SZD-41A Jantar Standard (initial series); SZD-48 Jantar Standard 2 and SZD-55 Promyk are later developments in the same class.
Where you'll see it
Flown competitively across Europe, North America and Australia from the mid-1970s; many examples remain airworthy in club ownership.
Related aircraft
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