Rhein-Flugzeugbau X-113 Aerofoil Boat
Rhein-Flugzeugbau · Germany · first flew 1970 · light aircraft
The Rhein-Flugzeugbau X-113 Aerofoil Boat was a West German experimental wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) research vehicle that flew in 1970, designed to study the aerodynamic efficiency of low-altitude surface-skimming flight over water.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.43 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wing-in-ground-effect experimental boat
- Operates on air cushion between wing and water surface
- Tiny single-seat WIG research craft
Very short wingspan relative to length, low-set straight wing designed to fly just metres above a water surface; engine mounted behind the cockpit driving a pusher propeller.
Specifications
- The Rhein-Flugzeugbau X-113 Aerofoil Boat has a length of 8.43 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 5.89 m (19 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Rhein-Flugzeugbau GmbH in the late 1960s, the X-113 was one of the earliest serious Western WIG research platforms. It demonstrated the feasibility of ground-effect craft and informed later ekranoplan and WIG research programmes worldwide. Flight trials were conducted over water in Germany.
Variants
A single prototype was built; no production variants followed.
Where you'll see it
The X-113 was a pure research vehicle and never entered commercial or military service; it remains a historical curiosity of early WIG experimentation.
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