Kranich II

Hans Jacobs designed the Kranich at the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS = German Research Center for Gliding). Its maiden flight took place in 1935.

The double-seater boomed with the introduction of the Kranich. It introduced a completely new method to glider training: dual-controls as in powered flight. Until the Kranich, training in single-seaters was the standard method (see the SG-38 training glider). The Kranich was such an good design that it also proved to be an excellent performance-type glider. Pilots Hofmann and Wilcken established a German enroute record in 1938 that was not beaten until 30 years later. In 1940, Erich Klöckner set a record for a height above sea level with 11, 410 m.

The exhibited Kranich was built in 1942. After the war it was flown by the Aero-Club Hildesheim until it was donated to the Deutsches Museum in 1972.

• Manufacturer: Mraz, Chotzen, 1942
• Wing span: 18.00 m
• Weight, empty: 290 kg
• Best gliding ratio: 23.6 at 75 km/h
• Lowest sink rate 0.69 m/s at 65 km/h