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FEATURE True, untrue or a probability by Thorsten Fridlizius Few things are so surrounded with myths as the creation of the Grunau Baby. Why? The GB was produced in greater numbers than any other sailplane in the world. (This probably remains true even now.) Thousands of pupils and experienced pilots have enjoyed flights in the Grunau Baby. In spite of the cramped upright position in the cockpit there are many Baby-flights in the record books. Even endurance records were established in this relatively inexpensive little sailplane. The Grunau Baby 1 appeared during a transition period. Earlier sailplanes (as distinct from primary gliders) were designed to special order. One of a type would be built, rarely more. A series from the same factory would have close family resemblances but probably no two were every exactly alike. Edmund Schneider’s Grunau Baby was the first mass-produced sailplane. Schneider established a production line and was anxious to market the new type in quantity. been amputated as a result of a motorcycle accident. He and Schempp returned to Germany. From the 1st of April 1931 and for the next two years, Hirth was instructor and manager of the Gliding School at Grunau. In the slope below the hilltop gliding site, Edmund Schneider was manufacturing his gliders. The Grunau Baby was already in service before Hirth arrived in town. Gliding was at that time an enormously popular sport in Germany. Wolf Hirth was a well known person in the general media as well as among glider pilots. A romantic view taken in the 1930s which is part of a postcard composed of eight small photographs. Datschi at the southern Wülzburg Ridge, between Nürnberg and Augsburg. Observe the struts which had an areofoil cross section. Thomas Häcker collection Above: Franz Medicus in the Datschi, at Wasserkuppe(?). Franz Medicus was later at Egon Scheibe. In 1960 he ferried a MotorSpatz to Ålleburg – the Swedish Gliding Centre and Museum Edmund and Wolf were old friends so Edmund asked Wolf to help him promote the Baby. In sales brochures and in advertisements, Schneider mentioned this in a slightly ambiguous fashion “die (the Babies) unter Mitwerkung von Wolf Hirth vom Flugzeugbau Schneider herausgebracht wurden” If Wolf Hirth had, Myth One: Wolf Hirth was the co-designer of the Baby. The prototype Grunau Baby 1 was designed and produced when Hirth was in the USA. In 1931, the year when the Grunau Baby 1 was built and flown, he was busy with the Haller Hirth Sailplane Company together with Gus Haller. Martin Schempp was their instructor. Wolf was denied American citizenship because of his artificial leg. His leg had 36 VGC News No. 123 Spring 2008
FEATURE Above: ‘Alexander der Kleine’. Same age as Grunau Baby 1. Span 14.00. Mass empty as Grunau Baby 1 and Datschi. Design A Thoenes, Rossitten. Six built, Ozite (16.00 m span!) included. Archives Jürgen Doppelbauer Above: the workshop was a former warehouse or stable. In the roof one single light bulb. Late working evenings kind neighbours arrived with the speciality of Augsburg – Zwetschgendatschi (plumcake) for the young people. Archives Jürgen Doppelbauer VGC News No. 123 Spring 2008 37
Page 1 and 2: VGC News No. 123 Spring 2008 © Spa
Page 3 and 4: © Contents VGC News No. 123 Spring
Page 5 and 6: CLUB NEWS is not a static list, eve
Page 7 and 8: INTERNATIONAL NEWS AUSTRALIA There
Page 9 and 10: INTERNATIONAL NEWS Just a note to t
Page 11 and 12: INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRITAIN The succ
Page 13 and 14: ment on the part of the veteran Dan
Page 15 and 16: to their ends in the hands of the o
Page 17 and 18: (during September) and this is a su
Page 19 and 20: Above: the Karpf-Zögling (Swiss pr
Page 21 and 22: MODELLING REPORT Left: Armand Girau
Page 23 and 24: A Ka 4 in the elderly home The memb
Page 25 and 26: development of one of these). IWKS4
Page 27 and 28: SNIPPETS searched in my technical l
Page 29 and 30: LETTERS Invitation from Luxembourg
Page 31 and 32: FEATURE The Family of Hütter H28 G
Page 33 and 34: FEATURE Vintage Glider Rally Muenst
Page 35: evening at Paul Serries’ Tennis C
Page 39 and 40: the slightly thicker and more stron
Page 41 and 42: FEATURE VGC News No. 123 Spring 200
Page 43 and 44: FEATURE Above: Mucha in original co
Page 45 and 46: OBITUARIES JOHN SIMPSON 1915-2007.
Page 47 and 48: until 1950 that his pilgrimage to t
Page 49 and 50: FEATURE Salamander Update from Jane
Page 51: FEATURE Unit being guarded by John

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