Bergfalke
Scheibe Bergfalke III
Role Sailplane
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Scheibe
Designer Egon Scheibe
First flight 5 August 1951
Number built more than 320 by 1982
Developed from Akaflieg München Mü13

The Scheibe Bergfalke (German: "mountain hawk") is a German glider designed by Egon Scheibe as a post-World War II development of the Akaflieg München Mü13 produced before and during the war.

Design and development

The prototype flew on 5 August 1951 as the Akaflieg München Mü13E Bergfalke I and by the end of the year, Scheibe had established his own works at the Munich-Riem Airport to produce the type as the Bergfalke II.[1] It was a mid-wing sailplane of conventional design with a non-retractable monowheel undercarriage and a tailskid.[2] The fuselage was a welded steel structure covered in fabric and enclosed two seats in tandem.[2] The wings had a single wooden spar and were covered in plywood.[2]

Subsequent versions introduced forward sweep to the wings, a more aerodynamic canopy, airbrakes, and a tailwheel in place of the tailskid.[1] By 1982, Scheibe had built over 300 of these aircraft, and Stark Ibérica built a number of the Bergfalke III version under license in Spain.[1] Scheibe also developed a motorglider version as the Bergfalke IVM[1] but this did not enter production.[2]

In 1976, two Bergfalke motorgliders participated in the Sixth German Motor Glider Competition. Later, one of these aircraft set a world 300 km triangle record.[3]

Variants

Mü13E Bergfalke I
Prototype
Bergfalke II
First production version, 4° forward sweep on wings[1]
Bergfalke II/55
Skopil Bergfalke II/55
Motorglider conversion done by Arnold Skopil of Aberdeen, Washington, United States in 1957. One converted.[4][5]
Bergfalke III
Streamlined canopy, taller fin and rudder, Schempp-Hirth airbrakes, 2° forward sweep on wings[1]
Bergfalke IV
Wing of Wortmann section with 60-cm (2-ft) greater span[1]
Bergfalke IVM
Motorglider version with 39-kW (52-hp) Hirth O-28 engine mounted on retractable pylon behind cockpit.[1]

Specifications (Bergfalke II/55)

Scheibe Bergfalke IV on final
1966 Scheibe Bergfalke III

Data from The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde [2][6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
  • Wingspan: 16.6 m (54 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 17.7 m2 (191 sq ft)
  • Aspect ratio: 15.6
  • Airfoil: Mü-Profil 14.5%
  • Empty weight: 246 kg (542 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 440 kg (970 lb)

Performance

  • Stall speed: 60 km/h (37 mph, 32 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 160 km/h (99 mph, 86 kn)
  • Rough air speed max: 120 km/h (75 mph; 65 kn)
  • Aerotow speed: 120 km/h (75 mph; 65 kn)
  • Winch launch max speed: 85 km/h (53 mph; 46 kn)
  • Terminal velocity: 205 km/h (127 mph; 111 kn) (max all-up weight + full airbrakes / flaps)
  • g limits: +4 -2
  • Maximum glide ratio: 28:1 at 80 km/h (50 mph; 43 kn)
  • Rate of sink: 0.72 m/s (142 ft/min) at 72 km/h (45 mph; 39 kn)
  • Wing loading: 24.8 kg/m2 (5.1 lb/sq ft)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders and Sailplanes of the World. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 79–80.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Taylor, John W. R. (1977). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Yearbooks. pp. 528 & 594.
  3. ↑ Coates, Andrew (1978). Jane's World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders. London: MacDonald and Jane's. p. 67.
  4. ↑ Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 131. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
  5. ↑ Activate Media (2006). "Bergfalke Scheibe". Archived from the original on 19 November 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  6. ↑ Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson (1958). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde (in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 73–80.

References

  • Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson (1958). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde (in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 73–80.
  • Coates, Andrew (1978). Jane's World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders. London: MacDonald and Jane's. p. 67.
  • Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders and Sailplanes of the World. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 79–80.
  • Taylor, John W. R. (1977). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Yearbooks. p. 528.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 793.
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