Udet U 3
Udet Flugzeugbau · Germany · first flew 1923 · light aircraft
The Udet U 3 was a small, low-power sport aircraft developed in Germany in the early 1920s as an improved version of the Udet U 1.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.53 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional layout
- Five-cylinder radial engine in the nose driving a two-blade tractor propeller
- Open pilot cockpit and tailskid undercarriage
A small low-wing sport monoplane with an open cockpit, radial engine and conventional tail.
Specifications
- The Udet U 3 has a length of 5.53 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.9 m (29 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 180 km/h (112 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The U 1 and U 2 had proved underpowered with 35 hp two-cylinder engines, so the U 3 was fitted with a five-cylinder radial of about 41 kW. The fuselage and wings were wooden and fabric-covered, and the tail unit was steel tube.
Variants
The U 3 and U 4 designations are confused in surviving sources. Photographs show a single-seater, though the U 4 may have been a closely related two-seater.
Where you'll see it
Ernst Udet took a U 3 to Argentina in 1923, where Eduardo Olivero flew it in the Copa Wilbur Wright. It won a handicap race against 22 entrants and took first in its class in the Rosario to Buenos Aires race on 9 December 1923.
Related aircraft
- Udet U 5
- Udet U 6
- Udet U 1
- Udet U 8
- Akaflieg Berlin B3 Charlotte II
- Akaflieg Darmstadt D-7 Margarete
- Akaflieg Darmstadt D-9 Konsul
- Albatros L 59
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