The Schneider Grunau Baby was a single-seat sailplane first built in Germany in 1931, with some 6,000 examples constructed in some 20 countries. It was relatively easy to build from plans, it flew well, and the aircraft was strong enough to handle mild aerobatics and the occasional hard landing. When the Baby first appeared, it was accepted wisdom that the pilot should feel as much unimpeded airflow as possible, to better sense rising and falling currents of air and temperature changes etc.
Grunau Baby III from the Wasserkuppe Museum at the 2009 Munich Oktoberfest
It was designed by Edmund Schneider with the assistance of Wolf Hirth and Hugo Kromer as a smaller version of Schneider's ESG 31 of the previous year, incorporating an elliptical wing design based on work done by Akaflieg Darmstadt. It was named after Grunau, the town where Schneider's factory was located, now Jeżów Sudecki in Poland. The first 14 inner ribs were of the Göttingen 535 shape with the outer ribs gradually changing up to the last 22nd rib, having a bi-convex and symmetrical shape with a slight reduction in the angle of incidence. The tips and leading edges of the wings up to the main spar were covered with plywood. The tail unit was built of plywood. The intention was to create an aircraft suitable both for training and for cross-country soaring. Typical for its day, it was a high-wing braced monoplane with a fuselage of hexagonal cross-section and an open cockpit. The Baby was an instant success, and was enthusiastically promoted by gliding champion Wolf Hirth. An extensive redesign was undertaken in 1932 following the fatal crash of an unrelated Schneider design, which resulted in the Baby II. This version and the definitive Baby IIb that followed were adopted as standard sailplane trainers for the German Air Sports Association (later the National Socialist Flyers Corps).
During 1941, 30 GB gliders were built by Laminação Nacional de Metais, later Companhia Aeronáutica Paulista in Brazil, under the name "Alcatraz". Following World War II, series production restarted in Germany in 1956. The Baby was also built in France (as the Nord 1300) and the United Kingdom (as the Elliotts Baby EoN and the Slingsby T5 - Slingsby also used it as the basis for a number of their own designs). Edmund Schneider emigrated to Australia, where he developed the Baby design into his Baby 3 and Baby 4, which had enclosed cockpits.
Variant by Herman J. Stiglmeier with the wings of a Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross.[1] One (registered NX15539) was impressed into USAAF service in 1942 as the TG-14 (s/n 42-57183).[2]
Motor-Baby
A motor-glider conversion, (D-YBIF), powered by a Kroeber M4 2-stroke engine driving a pusher propeller behind the centre-section. The rear fuselage upper decking was removed to accommodate the propeller and reduce drag from prop-wash.[3]
Specifications (Baby IIb)edit
Data fromThe World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde[4]
^"US Training Gliders". Nevington War Museum. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
^"USAF Serial Number Search Results". cgibin.rcn.com. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
^"Schneider Grunau Motorbaby". www.histaviation.com. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
^Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde (in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 95–98.
Further readingedit
Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders and Sailplanes of the World. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 50–51.
Coates, Andrew (1978). Jane's World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders. London: MacDonald and Jane's. p. 97.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grunau Baby.
Grunau Baby II B-2 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - An extensive writeup of the history of the type
January 01, 1970
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message The Schneider Grunau Baby was a single seat sailplane first built in Germany in 1931 with some 6 000 examples constructed in some 20 countries It was relatively easy to build from plans it flew well and the aircraft was strong enough to handle mild aerobatics and the occasional hard landing When the Baby first appeared it was accepted wisdom that the pilot should feel as much unimpeded airflow as possible to better sense rising and falling currents of air and temperature changes etc Grunau Baby Grunau Baby III Role Sailplane Manufacturer Schneider Slingsby Elliotts of Newbury Nord NV Vliegtuigbouw Laminacao Nacional de Metais later Companhia Aeronautica Paulista Brazil Designer Edmund Schneider Introduction 1931 Number built ca 6000 Grunau Baby III from the Wasserkuppe Museum at the 2009 Munich Oktoberfest It was designed by Edmund Schneider with the assistance of Wolf Hirth and Hugo Kromer as a smaller version of Schneider s ESG 31 of the previous year incorporating an elliptical wing design based on work done by Akaflieg Darmstadt It was named after Grunau the town where Schneider s factory was located now Jezow Sudecki in Poland The first 14 inner ribs were of the Gottingen 535 shape with the outer ribs gradually changing up to the last 22nd rib having a bi convex and symmetrical shape with a slight reduction in the angle of incidence The tips and leading edges of the wings up to the main spar were covered with plywood The tail unit was built of plywood The intention was to create an aircraft suitable both for training and for cross country soaring Typical for its day it was a high wing braced monoplane with a fuselage of hexagonal cross section and an open cockpit The Baby was an instant success and was enthusiastically promoted by gliding champion Wolf Hirth An extensive redesign was undertaken in 1932 following the fatal crash of an unrelated Schneider design which resulted in the Baby II This version and the definitive Baby IIb that followed were adopted as standard sailplane trainers for the German Air Sports Association later the National Socialist Flyers Corps During 1941 30 GB gliders were built by Laminacao Nacional de Metais later Companhia Aeronautica Paulista in Brazil under the name Alcatraz Following World War II series production restarted in Germany in 1956 The Baby was also built in France as the Nord 1300 and the United Kingdom as the Elliotts Baby EoN and the Slingsby T5 Slingsby also used it as the basis for a number of their own designs Edmund Schneider emigrated to Australia where he developed the Baby design into his Baby 3 and Baby 4 which had enclosed cockpits Contents 1 Variants 2 Specifications Baby IIb 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksVariants editESG 31 The precursor to the Baby with larger less sophisticated wings Baby The initial version an ESG31 with an improved wing based on work done by Akaflieg Darmstadt Baby II Baby IIa Baby IIb Baby III Alcatraz Thirty aircraft licence built in Brazil by Laminacao Nacional de Metais later called CAP Companhia Aeronautica Paulista Nord 1300 nbsp A French Nord 1300 circa 1970 License production in France by Nord Aviation Elliotts Baby EoN License production in England by Elliotts of Newbury One is now at the Gliding Heritage Centre Slingsby T5 License production in England by Slingsby Sailplanes Baby 3 Postwar redesign with an enclosed cockpit by Edmund Schneider after he emigrated to Australia Baby 4 Further improvements made for production in Australia Baby V A two seat version using Baby III wings with a new tandem seat fabric covered steel tube fuselage AB Flygplan Se 102 License production in Sweden for the Royal Swedish Air Force Hawkridge Grunau Baby licence built Grunau Babys TG 27 Grunau Baby Grunau Babys impressed into the USAAF in 1942 IFIL Reghin RG 1 Grunau Babys built in Romania under licence Stiglmeier S 24 Variant by Herman J Stiglmeier with the wings of a Bowlus BA 100 Baby Albatross 1 One registered NX15539 was impressed into USAAF service in 1942 as the TG 14 s n 42 57183 2 Motor Baby A motor glider conversion D YBIF powered by a Kroeber M4 2 stroke engine driving a pusher propeller behind the centre section The rear fuselage upper decking was removed to accommodate the propeller and reduce drag from prop wash 3 Specifications Baby IIb edit nbsp Data from The World s Sailplanes Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt Les Planeurs du Monde 4 General characteristicsCrew one Length 6 09 m 20 ft 0 in Wingspan 13 57 m 44 ft 6 in Wing area 14 2 m2 153 sq ft Aspect ratio 13 Airfoil Gottingen 535 Empty weight 170 kg 375 lb equipped Max takeoff weight 250 kg 551 lb Performance Never exceed speed 150 km h 93 mph 81 kn Aerotow speed 90 km h 56 mph 49 kn Winch launch speed 80 km h 50 mph 43 kn Maximum glide ratio 17 at 60 km h 37 mph 32 kn Rate of sink 0 85 m s 167 ft min at 55 km h 34 mph 30 kn Wing loading 17 68 kg m2 3 62 lb sq ft See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Hutter Hu 17 Related lists List of glidersReferences edit US Training Gliders Nevington War Museum Retrieved 2020 06 16 USAF Serial Number Search Results cgibin rcn com Retrieved 2020 06 17 Schneider Grunau Motorbaby www histaviation com Retrieved 5 February 2020 Shenstone B S K G Wilkinson Peter Brooks 1958 The World s Sailplanes Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt Les Planeurs dans Le Monde in English French and German 1st ed Zurich Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile OSTIV and Schweizer Aero Revue pp 95 98 Further reading editHardy Michael 1982 Gliders and Sailplanes of the World Shepperton Ian Allan pp 50 51 Coates Andrew 1978 Jane s World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders London MacDonald and Jane s p 97 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grunau Baby Grunau Baby II B 2 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum An extensive writeup of the history of the type Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Schneider Grunau Baby amp oldid 1214724597, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
