The DFS Kranich is a type of German

glider Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of gliding ...

. It was developed by

Hans Jacobs Hans Jacobs (30 April 1907 in Hamburg - 24 October 1994) was a German sailplane designer and pioneer. He had been taught sailplane design by Alexander Lippisch, designer of many gliders during the 1920s and the 1930s. As the head of the ''Deuts ...

for the

Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug The ''Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug'' (), or DFS , was formed in 1933 to centralise all gliding activity in Germany, under the directorship of Professor Walter Georgii. It was formed by the nationalisation of the Rhön-Rossitten G ...

(DFS).

History

Series production of the Kranich (Crane) took place in the aircraft division of Karl Schweyer AG in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...

. The two-seater was, in its version 2, the most widely built two-seat glider in Germany from 1935 to 1939. Several hundred examples were built; exact numbers are not known. On 11 October 1940 Erich Klöckner in a Kranich achieved the record height in a glider of 11,460 m (37598 ft). Because it occurred in wartime, the altitude record was not recognized by the Allied occupying powers, and Klöckner only received official recognition by the

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale The (; FAI; en, World Air Sports Federation) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It mainta ...

(FAI) in the late 1990s.aerokurier magazine 1/1999: Erich Klöckners Vorstoß zur Tropopause, Motor Presse 1999 This record height was only exceeded ten years after the flight by the American Bill Ivans during a similar scientific program in the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

. In 1942 30 Kranichs were built by the Swedish manufacturer AB Flygplan in

Norrköping Norrköping (; ) is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County, about 160 km southwest of the national capital Stockholm, 40 km east of county seat Link� ...

, and delivered to the Swedish Air Force for training purposes. These machines were given the military designation Flygplan Se 103. Between 1950 and 1952 50 examples of a slightly modified copy of the Kranich II were built in Poland, known as the

SZD-C Żuraw The SZD-C Żuraw (''Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny (SZD), ''Glider Experimental Works'' was a glider aircraft, glider design and research centre of the Polish aerospace industry after World War II, located i ...

(''żuraw'' is ''Kranich'' in Polish = "

crane Crane or cranes may refer to: Common meanings * Crane (bird), a large, long-necked bird * Crane (machine), industrial machinery for lifting ** Crane (rail), a crane suited for use on railroads People and fictional characters * Crane (surname) ...

"). Between 1947-48 10 examples and until 1957, 17 more of a slightly modified copy of the Kranich II were built in Yugoslavia, they have also repaired two war trophy left by the Germans. They were known as the

UTVA Ždral LIBIS Žerjav Utva Aviation Industry (commonly known as UTVA) is a Serbian manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, subsidiary of Yugoimport SDPR, headquartered in Pančevo. History Utva was founded on 5 June 1937 in Zemun, since 1940 located in Panče ...

(''ždral-žerjav'' is ''Kranich'' in Serbian and Slovenian = "

"). After the war, Jacobs designed the Kranich III, a new development very different from its predecessors. It was developed and produced at the

Focke-Wulf Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG () was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft before and during World War II. Many of the company's successful fighter aircraft designs were slight modifications of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It is one of the ...

aircraft factory in

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie H ...

. The first flight was on 1 May 1952, piloted by

Hanna Reitsch Hanna Reitsch (29 March 1912 – 24 August 1979) was a German aviator and test pilot. Along with Melitta von Stauffenberg, she flight tested many of Germany's new aircraft during World War II and received many honors. Reitsch was amo ...

. Thirty-seven were built.

Variants

;Kranich: The initial prototype designed by

for the DFS. ;Kranich II:Production aircraft built primarily by Karl Schweyer AG and by

Mraz Mraz or Mráz (Czech/Slovak feminine: Mrázová) is a surname of Czech, Slovak, and Croatian origin. It means ''"frost"'' and is cognate to Maroz (Belarusian), Mróz (Polish), and Moroz (Ukrainian and Russian). It may refer to: People * Alois Mr ...

, Czechoslovakia, but also in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

, Spain and Sweden ;Liege-Kranich: Conversion of Kranich II with an additional cockpit in the glazed nose for a prone pilot. Several built. First conversion in Trebbin in the middle of World War II for the purpose of testing prone flying. Also used for training to fly new German types (BV 40, DFS 228 and DFS 346). ;Flygplan Se 103: License production of 30 aircraft in Sweden for the Swedish Air Force ;

: License production of a modified Kranich in Poland ;

Focke-Wulf Kranich III Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG () was a German manufacturer of civil and military aircraft before and during World War II. Many of the company's successful fighter aircraft designs were slight modifications of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It is one of the ...

: A major re-design. ;

UTVA Żdral Utva Aviation Industry (commonly known as UTVA) is a Serbian manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, subsidiary of Yugoimport SDPR, headquartered in Pančevo. History Utva was founded on 5 June 1937 in Zemun, since 1940 located in Pančevo ...

: License production of 10 aircraft a modified Kranich in Yugoslavia ; LIBIS Żerjav: License production of 17 aircraft a modified Kranich in Yugoslavia by LIBIS Letalski inštitut Branko Ivanuš Slovenija

Specifications (Kranich II)

History

Variants

Specifications (Kranich II)

Notes

References

Further reading

External links