The Albatros L 69 was a two-seat German parasol monoplane racing and training aircraft of 1925. It was a single-engine parasol-wing monoplane of conventional configuration that seated the pilot and passenger in tandem, open cockpits. It was advertised as a trainer, however contemporary reports dismissed this due to the difficulty in accessing the front cockpit, and the designers' focus on performance.[1]

L 69
Albatros L.69 at the 1925 Round Germany Contest
General information
TypeRacer
ManufacturerAlbatros Flugzeugwerke
Designer
R. Schubert
Number built4
History
First flight1925

Operational history

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In 1925, the Albatros test pilot Kurt Ungewitter won Class D in the Deutsche Rundflug ("Round Germany") in an L 69a, but was killed in one in a crash two years later. The "Round-Saxony" flight Class D was won by a Bristol Lucifer-engined Albatros L.69, piloted by a student at an average speed of 165 km/h.[2]

Variants

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Specifications (L 69a)

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General characteristics

  • Crew: two, pilot and instructor
  • Length: 6.10 m (20 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.06 m (26 ft 5 in)
  • Height: 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in)
  • Wing area: 14.0 m2 (151 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 480 kg (1,058 lb)
  • Gross weight: 685 kg (1,510 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Siemens-Halske Sh 12 , 80 kW (110 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 96 kn)
  • Endurance: 2 hours
  • Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,100 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 4.2 m/s (820 ft/min)

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Flight, 29 October 1925, p.702
  2. ^ Flight, 29 October 1925, p.701

Bibliography

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  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 55.
  • German Aircraft between 1919–1945
  • bungartz.nl
  • Flight magazine 29 October 1925 on Albatros L.69 12