Sailplanes
Bölkow Phoebus C
The Phoebus is an advanced version of the Phönix, the first aircraft made of glassfibre reinforced plastic.
The glassfibre reinforced plastic material makes it possible to produce wings with an excellent surface quality, which is a precondition for using low-resistance laminar profiles. By now, the more efficient plastic gliders have almost entirely replaced the classic “wooden planes“.
The Phoebus was designed by Richard Eppler, Hermann Nägele and Rudolf Lindner. The plane was produced in series at the Bölkow company in Laupheim. From 1964 to 1970, 254 Phoebus planes were built in three different variants. Phoebus A and B are planes of the “standard class“ with a wingspan of 15 m. The Phoebus C is an advanced version for the “open class“ with an extended wingspan of 17 m. Numerous flying contests were won with the prototype.
Technical specifications:
- Manufacturer: Bölkow-Entwicklungen KG, Laupheim, 1967
- Wingspan: 17.0 m
- Wing aspect ratio: 20.5
- Weight, empty: 240 kg
- Minimum sink rate: 0.63 m/s at 83 km/h
- Best glide ratio: 39 at 93 km/h