KRONFELD ON GLIDING AND SOARING.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

276 KRONFELD ON GLIDING & SOARING
most other sailplanes. Like the " Westpreussen," it is
entirely covered with plywood over three longerons and
many bulkheads. The hind portion tapers off into a vertical
blade which merges into a small vertical fin. The elevator
is located upon a small tailplane built into the fuselage.
A cursory glance would hardly disclose any differences
between the " Starkenburg " and its two predecessors.
But the wing section is different, as is also the attachment
of the wing to the fuselage, the construction of the skid and
some details in the arrangement of the control surfaces. It
is undoubtedly a better-made machine, but its most interesting
point is the coupling of the rudder and ailerons in
such a way that they work together without intervention
from the control column. This coupling system has already
been used in the " Konsul."
The successful sailplane " Luftikus," constructed by O.
Hohmuth, is a development of the old " Vampyr." Looking
at it, you think you have before you an improved " Vampyr/'
The wing is in three sections, with one spar, a straight
middle section and triangular outer sections. It rests upon
a fuselage neck and is braced against the upper surface of
the fuselage by two steel tube struts. The fuselage itself
is covered with plywood ; the cross-section of the front and
rear parts are respectively hexagonal and rectangular, the
latter tapering into a horizontal blade which carries the
elevators. The rudder is conspicuous by its high, pointed
shape. The advantage of this type is that it is comparatively
easy to build and combines cheapness with efficiency.
Alexander Lippisch struck out a line of his own when
he designed the " Professor " for the Rhon-Rossitten Ges.
This sailplane is intended to provide pilots who have passed
their " C " test, with a machine upon which they can train
for transition to sailplanes of the high-efficiency types.
Solidity of construction is achieved by the struts which
brace the rectangular middle section of the wing. The
outer sections of the wing are triangular in plan form.
The wing has one main spar and a light auxiliary spar,
while the struts take the torsion in the centre portion. The
fin emerges from the rear end of the hexagonal fuselage,
while the elevator has no stabilizer or tailplane. I made