Teichfuss Balilla
F.A.L. Teichfuss · Italy · first flew 1939 · glider
The Teichfuss Balilla was an Italian single-seat primary glider designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1939.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Strut-braced high wing on a narrow pedestal over the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Strut-braced high wing on a narrow pedestal over the fuselage
- Unswept constant-chord wing with elliptical tips and dihedral
- Open cockpit with a small windscreen ahead of the wing, landing on a skid
The wood-framed, plywood-skinned fuselage is flat-sided with straight-edged tail surfaces, and a skid runs from the nose to below the wing trailing edge.
Specifications
- The Teichfuss Balilla has a length of 6.38 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.5 m (41 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Luigi Teichfuss designed the Balilla ten years after his Nibio I, his first primary glider with a conventional fuselage. It was a simple, low-cost, robust design.
Variants
Ten Balillas were built, all to the same single-seat primary glider design.
Where you'll see it
The ten gliders served all the gliding schools of the R.U.N.A. It could be winch launched and was straightforward to fly, training novice pilots to their B-certificate.
Related aircraft
- Teichfuss Turbine
- Teichfuss Astore
- Teichfuss Cicogna
- Teichfuss Grifo
- Aeronca Super Chief
- Akaflieg Berlin B8
- Ambrosini SAI.10 Grifone
- Arado Ar 199
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