The SF-24 Motorspatz is a two-seat self-launched glider developed and built in Germany for training purposes. Scheibe over the years has developed a number of gliders, a few of which have been motorised.
The Goat series of ultralight basic gliders was designed by Michael Sandlin in the United States, it being a parasol wing, single-seat glider for which Mr Sandlin produced technical drawings for construction by amateur builders.
This series of gliders was introduced to the Company’s range in 1964, being a development of the earlier Zugvogel and SF-26, the SF-27A being a standard Class design for competition.
Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873-1932) was a wealthy Brazilian living in Paris, France and he played an important part in promoting the design and construction of airships for some years from 1898, and was one of the first ‘Aeronauts’ to build and fly an airship in controlled and sustained flight.
The Arcus was developed by Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH in Germany as a two-seat 20-meter high-performance glider and employed the latest developments in aerodynamic research and has been described as a high-performance and practical aircraft and complements the Company’s Duo Discus series of gliders.
The Discus series of gliders was designed by Klaus Holighaus and more than 850 examples of various models have been built, most as Standard Class gliders.
S E Saunders Ltd (later Saunders Roe) on the Isle of Wight was set up in the 1920s to design and construct amphibians and flying boats, and one of the first designs produced by the Company was the Saro A.17 Cutty Sark.
The Nimbus series of gliders over the years produced by Schempp-Hirth in Germany, and designed by Klaus Holighaus, has been very popular and has been produced in a number of variants, a number having sustainer engines, and others fitted with Rotax engines and able to self launch.