Photograph:
Klemm Kl.32v VH-UVE (c/n 402) at Mascot, NSW in 1935 (Frank Walters collection)
Country of origin:
Germany
Description:
Three-seat light touring monoplane
Power Plant:
One 112 kw (150 hp) Siemens SL 14a seven-cylinder radial air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 12.00 m (39 ft 4 in)
- Length: 7.23 m (23 ft 7 in)
- Height: 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 17.00 m² (183 sq ft)
- Max speed: 204 km/h (127 mph)
- Cruising speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
- Landing speed: 82 km/h (51 mph)
- Climb to 1,000 m (3,280 ft): 4.5 mins
- Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
- Range: 750 km (466 miles)
- Endurance: 4 hours
- Fuel capacity: 150 litres (33 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 589 kg (1,298 lb)
- Loaded weight: 948 kg (2,090 lb)
History:
The Klemm Kl.32 series was introduced to the Klemm range of light aircraft in 1933, being a three-seat light touring aircraft designed by Dr Ing Hans Klemm. Of mixed construction, it was very popular in the thirties and examples were sold around the world. The wings, which could be folded back along the fuselage for storage, were of wooden construction with two spruce spars, with plywood covering. The fuselage was of rectangular cross-section with round decking, and was of wooden box construction and plywood covering. The usual power plant was the 97 kw (130 hp) to 112 kw (150 hp) Siemens Sh.14a radial engine but examples were fitted with the 112 kw (150 hp) Argus As.8-R four-cylinder in-line inverted air-cooled engine, the 112 kw (150 hp) Hirth Hm160 and the 90 kw (120 hp) de Havilland Gipsy III.
One example was imported to this region. This machine (VH-UVE – c/n 402 – ex D2299, G-ACYU) was obtained by the Aircraft Exchange & Mart Ltd in November 1934. In the United Kingdom it was owned by Mr M R Littlejohn of Eastleigh, UK but only stayed with him for a short period before it was exported to Australia. At that stage it was fitted with a 78 kw (105 hp) de Havilland Gipsy III engine. Its Australian Certificate of Airworthiness (No 520) was issued on 12 December 1935 to Mrs H Bonney of Bowen Hills, Queensland. Mrs Bonney had previously completed a flight to England in de Havilland DH.60G Moth VH-UPV (c/n 1812) My Little Ship in 1933. In the Klemm, which she named My Little Ship II, she left Darwin on 13 April 1937 and arrived in Capetown, South Africa, on 18 August 1937, completing the first Australia – South Africa flight by a light aircraft. The aircraft was later shipped back to Australia but was destroyed, along with a number of other aircraft, by fire in the Qantas hangar at Archerfield, QLD on 28 June 1939.