| Reiher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reiher III reproduction, first flown 2009 | |
| Role | Single seat competitionglider Type of aircraft |
| National origin | Germany |
| Designer | Hans Jacobs |
| First flight | 1937 |
| Number built | at least 7 |
TheDFS Reiher (in EnglishHeron) was a single seat competitionglider designed inGermany byHans Jacobs and first flown in 1937. The type won the last two GermanRhön gliding championships before the start ofWorld War II. Six were factory produced.
In 1935Hans Jacobs had been asked byAlexander Lippisch to become chief designer ofsailplanes at the nationalisedDeutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS) atDarmstadt, after the closure of the RRG (Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft) on theWasserkuppe in 1933. In 1936 there was more recognition of the need for fast gliders with highwing loading and lowcamber to fare better in competitions by moving quickly between strongthermals; the hope was that camber-changingflaps would enhancelift in the climb. The Reiher was Jacobs' attempt to build these qualities into a new sailplane, using all the DFS design and prototype production facilities and skills.[1]
It was an all-wood aircraft with amid-mountedcantilevergull wing, the wing position chosen to simplify the blending of thewing root into thefuselage. Thisfairing was most noticeable on thetrailing edge. The wing was divided into three sections, a centre part which had a full span of about 12 m (39 ft 4 in) and strong (10°)dihedral and two outer sections with no dihedral. In plan it was doubly straight tapered, though mostly on the trailing edge, ending in semi-ellipticaltips.[1] The wing was built around a single, narrow, 188 mm (7.4 in) highspar ofspruce, rather than the more usual, but heavierpine, which was part of atorsion-resisting D-box formed by theplywood skin forward of it and around theleading edge.[1][2] The plywood skin continued aft, though the trailing edge andailerons werefabric covered.Airbrakes were fitted atmid-chord on the innermost position on the outer panels, opening both above and below the wing but unusual in having a longer span lower blade. Camber changing flaps were mounted on the centre section.[1]
All of the fuselage andempennage apart from the rear control surfaces was ply skinned. The forward cross section was minimised with a long, lowcanopy, which extended from the nose to beyond the leading edge; limited by the plastics technology of the time, the Reiher's canopy was made from twelve separate framed sections. Aft, the fuselage became slim close to thefin and fullrudder. The straight tapered horizontal tail was mounted on top of the fuselage, far enough forward that only a small notch between theelevators was needed for rudder movement.[1]
The first real tests of the Reiher came fromHanna Reitsch's experiences with it at the 1937 International Championships at the famousWasserkuppe glider field in theRhön Mountains, which revealed worrying wing flexure, heavy ailerons and unpredictable airbrakes. In response, Jacobs revised the design to that of the Reiher II, which had more tapered wings, no flaps, airbrakes as described above andmass balanced ailerons. The fuselage was further refined and the fin and rudder increased in area.[1] Much improved, Reiher IIs were factory built in a short production series, followed by the further developed Reiher III.[1][2]
Despite the problems encountered at the Rhön competition with the Reiher prototype in 1937, Reitsch managed to fly into sixth place.[3] In the process she set on 4 July 1937 a Germans women's distance record of 349 km (217 mi) which stood until 1968.[2] In 1938 the prototype, stiffened and heavier, was flown into first place byWolfgang Späte in the same event and in 1939 the Reiher III won there in the hands of Erwin Kraft.[1] Six Reiher competed in 1939, the 20th Rhön competition and the last beforeWorld War II.[2]
No Reiher survived the war. In the 1990s the Wasserkuppe Old Timers Group built a faithful replica, which is now the museum there.[1] A second reproduction Reiher III first flew in 2009.[4]
Data fromDie berühmtesten Segelflugzeuge[2]
General characteristics
Performance
Related lists
