Akaflieg Darmstadt

style=font-size:large;| **Akaflieg Darmstadt**

Type	Non-profit
Founded
Headquarters	Darmstadt Darmstadt Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat... , Germany
Membership	Students and University faculty
Field	Aviation Aviation Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:... research
Number of Members	53 ( in 2010)
Key personnel	Karl-Heinz "McHinz" Hinz – senior mastercraft
Website	http://www.akaflieg.tu-darmstadt.de/geschichte/

Akaflieg Darmstadt is one of around twenty flying groups attached to German universities. Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, an academic group of students and faculty from a German University.

Akaflieg history

Otto Lilienthal

Otto Lilienthal was a German pioneer of human aviation who became known as the Glider King. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful gliding flights. He followed an experimental approach established earlier by Sir George Cayley...

published his book Der Vogelflug als Grundlage der Fliegekunst (Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation) in 1889, describing the basis of modern aerodynamics and aircraft construction. Lilienthal made many successful gliding flights from 1891 onwards. But the focus of attention shifted to powered flight after the Wright Brothers

Wright brothers

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...

had demonstrated their Wright Flyer

Wright Flyer

The Wright Flyer was the first powered aircraft, designed and built by the Wright brothers. They flew it four times on December 17, 1903 near the Kill Devil Hills, about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, U.S.The U.S...

.

Gliding

Gliding

Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...

re-emerged as a sport after the war because the building of powered aircraft was restricted in Germany by the Treaty of Versailles

Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...

. The main originator of the gliding movement was Oskar Ursinus

Oskar Ursinus

Carl Oskar Ursinus was a pioneer of German aviation and is remembered mainly for his contributions to sailplane designs and the sport of gliding...

, who in 1920 organised the first contest, known as the Rhön-Contest, on the Wasserkuppe

Wasserkuppe

The Wasserkuppe is a high plateau , the highest peak in the Rhön Mountains within the German state of Hessen. Between the first and second World Wars, during the era of the so-called Golden Age of Aviation, great advances in sailplane development were made there.Remark: The German wording takes its...

. Held annually, students of technical universities brought gliders which they had developed and built themselves for testing at these contests, developing an esprit de corps known as Rhöngeist.

These informal beginnings stimulated the formation of groups of engineers at universities with the aim of scientific and practical education, with the first groups being formed, in 1920, at Aachen

Aachen

Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...

(Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen

Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen

Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen is a non-profit organization, founded in 1920, which is closely associated to RWTH Aachen University , with members consisting of RWTH Aachen students, which have included Felix Kracht...

) , Darmstadt

Darmstadt

Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...

(Akaflieg Darmstadt) and Berlin-Charlottenburg (Akaflieg Berlin

Akaflieg Berlin

Akaflieg Berlin is one of around thirteen flying groups currently attached to German universities. Akaflieg Berlin, is the abbreviation of Akademische Fliegergruppe Berlin e.V. , a group of students enrolled at several Berlin universities, though they are mainly from TU Berlin, who are involved...

), but others soon followed. Many of the first members had been pilots in the Luftstreitkräfte

Luftstreitkräfte

The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...

(Imperial German Air Service), but it was the love of flying rather than militarism or nationalism that motivated them, resulting in a fraternal spirit that has been maintained to this day.

During the Nazi period some Akafliegs retained their autonomy through the patronage of the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL), a forerunner of the present-day German Aerospace Center

German Aerospace Center

The German Aerospace Center is the national centre for aerospace, energy and transportation research of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has multiple locations throughout Germany. Its headquarters are located in Cologne. It is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in...

(DLR). However, shortly before World War II the akafliegs were forced to integrate into the NS-Deutsche Studentenbund (Nazi-students-federation), with the Akaflieg projects having mostly military applications.

Present day

After the war, the Akafliegs re-formed in 1951, co-ordinated by Interessengemeinschaft Deutscher Akademischer Fliegergruppen e.V. (Idaflieg – interest group for German academic flying groups), with ten groups formed by 2009.

The aim of the Akafliegs is scientific research into flight development, as well as design and construction of aeroplanes, especially gliders. Much of the practical work is done at the summer meetings of the 'Idaflieg' in co-operation with the German Aerospace Center

German Aerospace Center

(DLR), while the results of the research are presented at the winter meetings. The 'Idaflieg' also offers many events and courses to its members such as the specification, design and certification of aeroplanes.

The quality of additional education provided by the Akafliegs is widely respected and so German glider manufacturers recruit almost exclusively from the Akafliegs. Once accepted as a member, students have to devote approximately 150 to 300 man-hours annually in the workshops to qualify for membership of the Akaflieg clubs, where the cost of flying is usually much lower than at other gliding/flying clubs.

American Universities have also implemented programs similar to the Akafliegs but based around the American style of teaching, Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University

The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...

's AERSP 404H

AERSP 404H

AERSP 404H is offered by the Pennsylvania State University as Flight Vehicle Design and Fabrication II, as an upper-level engineering design and capstone course. This course receives funding as a member of the Space Grant Colleges and Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium...

is one example of this implementation.

The Akademische Fliegergruppe Darmstadt e.V. (Academic Aviator Group Darmstadt) is a group of students enrolled at Darmstadt University of Technology

Darmstadt University of Technology

The Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...

, who are involved with the development and the design of gliders, as well as research in aerodynamics. Since the group was formed in 1920 over forty in-house designs have been created, with the D-43 trainer and Soteira pilot escape system being the latest.

During research for and testing of new designs at Akaflieg Darmstadt the students get the opportunity to fly gliders in the Akaflieg fleet for recreation, as well as partake in the research flying programmes. Active members spend much of their free time in the workshop working towards reaching their academic goals.

Aircraft

data from:-

style="text-align:center; background:#bfd7ff;"| **Summary of aircraft built by Akaflieg Darmstadt**
Model name	Designer	First flight	Materials	Engines	Aerofoil section	Span	Wing area	Empty weight	Seats	Number built	Remarks
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-1	Eugen von Lössl	1920	Wood, Wire and Fabric			12.2 m (40 ft)	24.5m² (264 ft²)	70 kg (154 lb)	1	1	Single-seat Hang glider with a parasol monoplane wing and rectangular section aerfoil profiled fuselage. Bequeathed, unfinished, by Eugen von Lössl after his death on 9 August 1920 to Akaflieg Darmstadt, where it was completed. Flew in the 1921 and 1922 Rhön competitions. Originally intended for centre of gravity style control, wing warping was added after much discussion.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-2 Pumpelmeise	E. Schatzki and F. Hoppe	1920	Wood, Wire and Fabric			11m (36 ft 1in)	24.5m² (264 ft²)	43 kg (95 lb)	1	1	Cantilever monoplane hang-glider with undercarriage skids, intended for the 1921 Rhön competitions but not flown there. The pilot was supported at the extreme nose of the fuselage which terminated at the wing leading edge.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-3 Nolleputzchen	F. Nicolaus	1921	Wood, Plywood and Fabric		Göttingen 441	10m (32 ft 10in)	16m² (172 ft²)	43 kg (95 lb)	1	1	This shoulder-winged cantilever monoplane had a conventional cockpit forward of the wing centre section and dual main skids. Constructed from wood with fabric and plywood covering, the D-3 had moderately tapered trapezoidal wings attached to a square section fuselage that tapered to nose and tail from the wing attachments.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-4 Edith	E. Thomas	1922	Wood, Plywood and Fabric		Göttingen 426	12.6m (41 ft 4in)	18.8m² (202 ft²)	110 kg (242 lb)	1	1	This single-seat strut braced parasol glider was used for training and is the direct precedent of the “Bremen”. RRG Prüfling, RRG Falke and Grunau Baby
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-5 Flohschwanz	A.Botsch and W. Hübner	1922	Wood, Wire and Fabric			7.5m (24 ft 7in)	18m² (194 ft²)	45 kg (99 lb)	1	1	This ultralight sesquiplane glider was originally planned as a hang-glider but was completed with a cockpit nacelle and twin main skids.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-6 Geheimrat	L. Hoffmann and F. Nicolaus	1922	Wood, Plywood and Fabric			12.7m (41 ft 8in)	14.8m² (159 ft²)	98 kg (216 lb)	1	1	This cantilevered monoplane glider employed an innovative control system, with pitch controlled through altering the angle of attack of the mainplane. Roll was achieved through altering the area of the wingtips, the after portions of which hinged at the inner front corner, sliding in and out of the forward portion of the wingtips, to alter area and thus lift, raising or lowering the wingtips.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-7 Margarete	E. Schatzki, R. Kercher and F. Hoppe	1923	Wood, Plywood and Fabric		root Göttingen 533, tip symmetrical	15.3m (50 ft 3in)	22.5m² (242 ft²)	200 kg (441 lb)	2	1	One of the first practical two-seaters, with a strut-braced high wing, and structure built from wood and fabric.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-8 Karl der Grosse	K. Plauth	1923	Wood, Plywood and Fabric	1 x 22 kW (29.5 hp)	Göttingen 426	14m (45 ft 11in)	17.9m² (193 ft²)	270 kg (595 lb)	2	1	A two-seat motorglider with a strut braced high wing, tandem cockpits under the wing centre section, tractor engine installation in the fuselage nose and twin mainwheels either side of the fuselage.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-9 Konsul	A. Botsch, R. Spies and F. Hoppe	1923	Wood, Plywood and Fabric		Root Göttingen 535, Tip Symmetrical	18.2m (59 ft 9in)	21m² (226 ft²)	200 kg (441 lb)	1		This single-seat cantilever high winged glider illustrated the incremental progress in aerodynamic knowledge and construction techniques, using rounded sections and smooth skinning to reduce drag and improve performance. Weight reduction was also achieved by using a single main-skid, in what was to become the norm through to the 1940s when single wheeled undercarriages became the norm. The most impressive performance gain would have come from the (relatively) high aspect ratio long span wings, which at 18.2m were among the biggest up to that time. "The best glider of his time, which showed all the characteristics of today's gliders" (Brütting, 1972).
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-10 Hessen	A. Botsch, R. Spies and G. Loew	1923	Wood, Plywood and Fabric		Göttingen 429, Göttingen 430, Göttingen 431 or Göttingen 432	11.1m (36 ft 5in)	13.2m² (142 ft²)	76 kg (168 lb)	1	1	Built purely as a flying wind tunnel with a simple rhomboidal section fuselage sitting on a single main skid. The section of the D-10 wings could be altered in flight, but results were never satisfactory, not least due to high friction in the variable section control system.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-11 Mohamed	D. v. Massenbach and F. Hoppe	1924	Wood, Plywood and Fabric	1x 20 hp (15 kW)Blackburne Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit \|-See also:... with metal propeller	Joukowski	10.74m (35 ft 3in)	12m² (129 ft²)	170 kg (375 lb)	1	1	A cantilever low-winged ultralight aircraft with narrow track trousered fixed undercarriage, smooth plywood skinned fuselage and an all flying tailplane for pitch control. The D-11 Mohamed generated some interest when taking part in the 1924 Rhön-Leichtflugzeug-Wettbewerb (1924 Rhön light aircraft competition).
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-12 Roemryke Berge	E. Schatzki	1924	Wood, Plywood and Fabric			16m (52 ft 6in)	17.5m² (188 ft²)	144 kg (317 lb)	1	1	The D-12 was built as a medium performance glider using the new construction techniques to minimise drag. Full span flaps and ailerons were also used as well as all-flying horizontal and vertical tails. Nehring completed the first successful out and return with this aircraft in 1926, flying from Darmstadt to Misleburg and back.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-13 Mohamed II	P. Laubenthal and G. Riedenbach	1926		22 kW (30 hp) Blackburne Thrush Blackburne Thrush -See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*...	Joukowski	10.7m (35 ft 1in)	12m² (129 ft²)	170 kg (375 lb)	1	1	This single-seat lightweight aircraft, powered by a Blackburne engine, was intended for aerobatics, but with no improvement over the D-11 Mohamed plans for a small production run were abandoned.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-14	H. Koch and R. Preuschen	1927		30 kW (40 hp) ABC Scorpion ABC Scorpion \|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling, 1969.... , MkII	Joukowski, Lachmann Lachmann Lachmann is a family name of German origin and may refer to:- Lachmann :* Erich Lachmann, Nazi SS officer at Sobibor extermination camp...	9m (29 ft 6in)	14m² (151 ft²)	220 kg (485 lb)	2	1	This two-seat low-wing monoplane won 1st prize in the at the Idaflieg and Röhn-Rossitten-Gesellschaft construction competitions.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-15 Westpreussen	H.Hofmann	1926			Göttingen 535 and/or Göttingen 430/Göttingen431	14.5m (45 ft 7in)	16m² (172 ft²)	120 kg (265 lb)	1	1	Built following the "Darmstadt School", of cantilevered high wing with streamlined fuselage sections. The D-15 was designed and built for Ferdinand Schulz, who broke all the contemporary World glidings records whilst flying it.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-16	F. Fecher and F. Ritz	1927	Wood, plywood and fabric	30 kW (40 hp) ABC Scorpion ABC Scorpion \|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling, 1969.... , MkII		7.8m (25 ft 7in)	16.2m² (174 ft²)	210 kg (463 lb)	2	1	Developed from the 1st prize winning D-14, the D-16 was itself the pre-cursor of the D-18.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-17 Darmstadt	H. Volker	1927	Wood, plywood and fabric		Göttingen 535	16m (52 ft 6in)	16.6m² (179 ft²)	155 kg (342 lb)	1	1	Built in the Darmstadt school fashion, the D-17 introduced automatic connection for the ailerons when rigging the glider. The D-17 was later taken to the United States of America (USA) for an expedition in 1928, and was sold there to Jack O'Meara, re-named “Chanute” and used by O'Meara to gain many competition victories and break many US gliding records.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-18	Dipl.Ing. F. Fecher	1929	Wood, plywood and fabric	1x65.6 kW (88 hp) Armstrong-Siddeley Genet / 1x 78.3 kW (105 hp) Armstrong-Siddeley Genet Major	Joukowski	7.2m (23 ft 7in)	12.1m² (130 ft²)	320 kg (705 lb) / 374 kg (825 lb)	1 or 2	1	Built on experience with the D-14 and D-16, the D-18 was a cantilevered, (with the exception of cabane struts for the upper mainplane), heavily staggered biplane with clean lines, built from wood and plywood and covered with fabric. After the first few promising flights at the Darmstadt airfield the D-18 was transferred to the DLV DLV The DLV system is a disjunctive logic programming system, implementing the stable model semantics under the Answer set programming paradigm. It extends the datalog language to allow the use of OR in rules... (Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt – German research establishment for flying)at Berlin. The D-18 then took part in the 1929 Europa-Rundflug, giving excellent results until a crash forced withdrawal. After repairs and the fitting of a Genet Major engine the D-18 went on to set three world records in 1930. For the 1930 Europa-Rundflug the D-18 was fitted with an enclosed canopy, but engine problems forced Rudolf Neininger, the pilot, to ditch in the Mediterranean Sea.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-19 Darmstadt II	F. Gross	1928	Wood, plywood and fabric		Joukowski 15% to Joukowski 8% , root to tip	18 m (59 ft)	16.9m² (192 ft²)	162 kg (357 lb)	1	1	The D-19 utilised elliptical wings with ailerons on the outer section s, mounted on a pylon aft of the cockpit and a tail section similar to the D-17.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-20 Starkenburg	H. Hoffmann	1929	Wood, plywood and fabric			16m (52f 6int)	17.5m² (188 ft²)	145 kg (320 lb)	1	1	The D-15 Westpreussen rebuilt and improved after its crash at "Würzburg", pilotted by A. Endres. Rudder and aileron interconnection was fitted similar to the system used on the D-9.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-21	F. Fecher	1930				7.9m (25 ft 11in)	13.9m² (150 ft²)	540 kg (1,190 lb)	1	0	A projected single-seat powered aircraft for aerobatics.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-22	F. Fecher	1931	Wood, plywood and fabric	1x 150 hp (112 kW) Argus As8R		7.4m (24 ft 3in)	13m² (140 ft²)	345 kg (761 lb)	2	3	An improved D-18 with a German engine, retaining the heavily stagered cantilever, open cockpit, biplane configuration. Three aircraft were built, of which the first was sold in England, crashing in January 1932. The second aircraft was delivered to the Reichsverkehrsministerium for evaluation and the third was retained at Akaflieg Darmstadt.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-23	V. Caspar	1930		1x 60 kW (80 hp)	NACA M12	6.5m (21 ft 4in)	10.8m² (116 ft²)	305 kg (672 lb)		0	The D-23 remained a project.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-24	G.Horn	1930		1x 80 kW (107 hp)	NACA M12	11.7m (38 ft 4in)	16.7m² (180 ft²)	400 kg (882 lb)	2	0	The D-23 high wing, cantilever monoplane, cabin two-seater remained a project.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-28 Windspiel	R. Kosin, R. Schomerus	(D-28a 1933) (D-28b1933)	Wood, plywood and fabric		Göttingen 535	12m (39 ft 4in)	11.4m² (123 ft²)	(D-28a 54 kg (119 lb)), (D-28b 72 kg (159 lb))	1	2	Built to realise all potential performance gains using available theory and construction techniques. The D-28a was very light for its size and required very careful ground handling to avoid damaging the structure. The relatively high performance achieved allowed the D-28a to break the world record cross-country flight at 240 km and a 140 km goal flight, from Darmstadt to Saarbrücken Saarbrücken Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live.... , on 8 March 1935. A second modified heavier aircraft was built as the D-28b.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-29	H.J.Biedermann, H. Voigt	1937	Wood, plywood, steel tubing and fabric	1x 119 kW (160 hp) Bramo Sh 14 A	NACA M6	12m (39 ft 4in)	11.4m² (123 ft²)	560 kg (1,235 lb)	2	1	The sole D-29, (D-EILE), was built as a flying test-bed for high-lift devices on the wings, wth a fixed, spatted, undercarriage, two seats under a long greenhouse canopy and a T-tail. The T-tail was intended to alleviate down-wash effects from the wings and high-lift devices during measurements. Testing was carried out on slats following the G. V. Lachmann patent and split flaps.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-30 Cirrus	R. Schomerus, H. Alt, H.J. Puffert	1938	Wood, plywood, Duralumin Duralumin Duralumin is the trade name of one of the earliest types of age-hardenable aluminium alloys. The main alloying constituents are copper, manganese, and magnesium. A commonly used modern equivalent of this alloy type is AA2024, which contains 4.4% copper, 1.5% magnesium, 0.6% manganese and 93.5%... and Elektron Elektron (alloy) Elektron was a magnesium alloy developed in Germany during the First World War between 1914-18 as a substitute for aluminium alloy. Elektron is unusually light and has a specific gravity of about 1.8 compared with the 2.8 of aluminium alloy. Elektron was used to make incendiary bombs: the B-1E...		NACA 24xx and Göttingen 600 laminar profiles	20.1m (65 ft 11in)	12m² (129 ft²)	190 kg (419 lb)	1	1	The D-30 was built for high performance as well as, reputedly, aerobatics and cloud flying. The long span, high aspect ratio wings with newly devised laminar flow sections, combined with new construction techniques and materials, such as Duralumin Duralumin Duralumin is the trade name of one of the earliest types of age-hardenable aluminium alloys. The main alloying constituents are copper, manganese, and magnesium. A commonly used modern equivalent of this alloy type is AA2024, which contains 4.4% copper, 1.5% magnesium, 0.6% manganese and 93.5%... and Elektron Elektron (alloy) Elektron was a magnesium alloy developed in Germany during the First World War between 1914-18 as a substitute for aluminium alloy. Elektron is unusually light and has a specific gravity of about 1.8 compared with the 2.8 of aluminium alloy. Elektron was used to make incendiary bombs: the B-1E... , gave the D-30 the desired performance. The D-30 went on to break the world record out and return distance on 7 July 1938 with a flight from Lübeck to Bremen and return. First place was also awarded to the D-30 in the Students competitions.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-31	H. Friedmann	1937			NACA 4415 to NACA 4412	20m (65 ft 7in)	20m² (215 ft²)	180 kg (397 lb)	2	0	A projected two-seater similar to the D-30 Cirrus, with a pod and boom fuselage and wings of lower aspect ratio. The second cockpit was to have been under the wing centre-section accessed by a cartype door on the starboard side..
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-32	R. Nusslein and H. Zacher	1938	Wood and plywood	1x 120 kW (161 hp)	NACA 2415 to NACA 2409	7.9m (25 ft 11in)	9m² (97 ft²)	310 kg (683 lb)	1	0	A project for an aerobatic aircraft.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-33 a.k.a. Lippisch DM-1	Alexander Lippisch Alexander Lippisch Alexander Martin Lippisch was a German pioneer of aerodynamics. He made important contributions to the understanding of flying wings, delta wings and the ground effect. His most famous design is the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket-powered interceptor.Lippisch was born in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria... and W. Heinemann	ca 1942	Wood and plywood		Ringleb 15 % thick elliptic and symmetric	6m (19 ft 8in)	19.9m² (214 ft²)	375 kg (827 lb)	1	1	Design was started by Lippisch to carry out research for his P.13a interceptor design, but transferred to Heinemann at Darmstadt, and later to a combined team at Akaflieg München. The re-named DM-1 glider was almost complete at the end of hostilities in 1945 and created a lot of interest. The team of engineers at Munich were ordered to complete the DM-1 which was then shipped to the USA for wind tunnel testing. The DM-1 survives to this day at the National Air and Space Museum National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and... storage facility.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-34a	W.Sarnes, H.J.Merklein		Wood, plywood and foam		NACA 64₄-621	12.65m (41 ft 6in)	8m² (86 ft²)	128 kg (282 lb)	1	1	Built as a study project for the design and construction of high-performance sail-planes, the first of the series used wooden structure with plywood skin bonded to foam inners which gave a very smooth surface finish. The genesis of the modern glider is evident in the large canopy over a semi-reclining seat, T-tail and slender rear fuselage. Despite being a research aircraft the D-34s had some success in competitions.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-34b	G.Jacoby	1957	Wood, plywood and foam		NACA 64₄-621	12.65m (41 ft 6in)	8m² (86 ft²)	141 kg (311 lb)	1	1	Similar to the D-34a but with a higher empty weight.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-34c	M.Rade	1958	Wood, plywood, foam and steel tube		NACA 64₄-621	12.65m (41 ft 6in)	8m² (86 ft²)	145 kg (320 lb)	1	1	The D-34c introduced welded steel tubing to high stress areas, such as the fuselage/wing intersection.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-34d	A.Puck, K.Weise, H.Wurtinger	1961	Wood, plywood, glass-fibre reinforced plastic and paper honeycomb		NACA 64₄-621	12.65m (41 ft 6in)	9.18m² (99 ft²)	155 kg (342 lb)	1	1	Construction techniques for glass-fibre and paper honeycomb sandwich were researched with the construction of the D-34d
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-35	A.Puck, H.Wurtinger	1959	Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, paper honeycomb and steel tube			19m (62 ft 4in)	18.05m² (194 ft²)	240 kg (529 lb)	2	0	This large high performance, V-tailed, two-seater, project was cancelled because the individual parts were too big to be built in the available space
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-36 Circe		1964	Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, Balsa wood		Wortmann FX62-K-131, Wortmann FX 60-126	17.8m (58 ft 5in)	12.8m² (138 ft²)	285 kg (628 lb)	1	2	The D-36 was designed to incorporate all the latest improvements in aerodynamics and construction techniques to produce a high performance glider better than its contemporaries. Competition successes included:- 1st place Open Class German National Championship 1964 2nd place Open Class Gliding World Cup 1965 3rd place pen Class German National Championship 1966
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-37 Artemis	F.Sator (D-37a), W.Dirks (D-37b)	1967	Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, plasticell foam	1x retractable sustainer motor	Wortmann FX 66-S-196, Wortmann FX 66-S-160	18 m (59 ft)	13m² (140 ft²)	325 kg (717 lb)	1	1	A high performance single seater, fitted with a retractable sustainer motor (incapable of take-off), the initial D-37a was modified to the D-37b.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-38	W.Dirks	1972	Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, Balsa wood		Wortmann FX 61-184, Wortmann FX 60-126	15m (49 ft 3in)	11m² (118 ft²)	210 kg (463 lb)	1	1	The D-38 was in effect the prototype of the DG-100, built by Glaser-Dirks. Built almost exclusively of GRP with Balsa wood filler the D-38 was a Standard class sailplane with 15m span wings no flaps, retractable undercarriage and provision for water ballast.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-39	Karl Heinrich Weinerth	1979	Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, Balsa wood	(D-39) 2x Sachs KM 914 Wankel rotary engines, (D-39 HKW/McHinz/D-39b) 1x 48.5 kW (65 hp) Limbach engines		(D-39) 15m (49 ft 3in), (D-39b / McHinz) 17.5m (57 ft 5in), (D-39 HKW) 20m (65f 7in)	11m² (118 ft²)	370 kg (816 lb)	1	2	The D-39 was originally designed as a single-seat touring motor-glider with 15m wings and paired Sachs rotary engines driving a folding propeller. Unsatisfactory performance from the airframe and the engines led to the re-design and rebuild into the D-39 McHinz and the D-39 HKW, using 17.5m / 20m wings respectively, a Limbach engine, and Wölbklappenflügel – automatic flaps.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-40	K.J.Heer, D.Teves	1981	Glasfibre-epoxy,Carbonfibre-epoxy, Aramid-epoxy, with Balsa, Conticell and Rohacell fillers.		FX 67-VG170 – FX 60–126, root to tip	15m (49 ft 3in)	11.5m² (124 ft²)	260 kg (573 lb)	1	1	Designed and built to comply with Federation Aeronautique Internationale Fédération Aéronautique Internationale The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles... (FAI) 15m class rukes, the D-40 includes area-increasing flaps which extend rearwards, hinged at the outboard end of the inner trailing edge at about ¾ span, similar in fashion to a pocket knife.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-41		1993	Carbonfibre-Epoxy		Wortmann FX 81-K-130/17, Wortmann FX 81-K-148/17modified	20m (65f 7in)	14m² (151 ft²)	431 kg (950 lb)	2 side-by-side	1	This two-seater, with side-by-side seating follows contemporaries like the Akaflieg Berlin B13 Akaflieg Berlin B13 - Development :Students at Akaflieg Berlin studied a high performance motor-glider with the engine in the nose and an automatically folding propeller... and Stemme S10 motor-gliders, but is a pure glider with no engine. The wing is derived from that of the Rolladen-Schneider LS-6, extended to 20m at the roots.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-42	M.Schröder, J.Scholz, P.Erb	1996	Glassfibre-epoxy, Carbonfibre-epoxy		Wortmann FX 82-L-168 Wortmann FX 82-L-145	18 m (59 ft)	13.2m² (142 ft²)	340 kg (750 lb)	1	0	A projected 18m solar-powered sailplane with retractable engine/propeller. The solar cell and battery combinations required were considered too expensive and further work was abandoned
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-43											The D-43 is an on-going project for a two-seater trainer to replace the Schleicher ASK 13 Schleicher ASK 13 \|-References:**... . The initial stages in progress include the definition of a specification and market analysis, with decisions on prototype production and further work dependent on the results of the market survey.
Akaflieg Darmstadt D-44 Soteira											The D-43 is a proposed rocket-powered glider pilot escape system, under development. Full-scale tests with dummies from static cockpits have been carried out, and a production system is proposed for fitment to the nascent D-43 trainer.

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