URMV-3 IS-3
URMV-3 · Romania · first flew 1953 · glider
The IS-3 was a high-performance single-seat sailplane designed by Iosif Silimon and built in Romania in the 1950s at the URMV-3 glider factory at Brasov. It was meant for record-breaking and international competition flying.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | High-set tapered wings on a wooden pod-and-boom fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-set tapered wings on a wooden pod-and-boom fuselage
- Streamlined pod with an enclosed cockpit and a flush-fitting canopy
- Duralumin tubular tailboom carrying conventional tail surfaces, with a single mainwheel and nose and tail skids
A pod-and-boom sailplane with differential ailerons and spoilers on the tapered high wing, and a tailboom of sheet duralumin.
Specifications
- The URMV-3 IS-3 has a length of 6.46 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16 m (52 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The original glider first flew on 19 August 1953. It was built mainly of wood with plywood-covered torsion box leading edges and fabric aft of the main spar.
Variants
The IS-3a and IS-3b lowered the wing to the mid position, while the IS-3c and IS-3d had a conventional wooden fuselage with a 17 m and 15.3 m wing respectively. The IS-3e and IS-3f reverted to the pod-and-boom layout with high-set wings.
Where you'll see it
The IS-3 set several national records, including 305 km distance and a 74.5 km/h speed over a 300 km straight line, at Leszno in 1954.
Related aircraft
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