The Soštarić Vrabac, ( -
sparrow), was a
primary glider
Primary glider aircraft, gliders are a category of aircraft that enjoyed worldwide popularity during the 1920s and 1930s as people strove for simple and inexpensive ways to learn to fly.Schweizer, Paul A: ''Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring ...
for basic pilot training designed and built in the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
in 1939.
Design and development
Of mixed composition, mostly wood and canvas, with undercarriage skis for landing, the Vrabac was designed by engineer
Ivo Šoštarić in 1939, inspired by the success of the
Zögling, a German primary glider. Unlike the Zögling, the Vrabac was not wire-braced, lacking a
kingpost and using
strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
A stay is sometimes used as a synonym for ...
s to brace the wings to the lower fuselage.
During tests at
Vršac
Vršac ( sr-Cyrl, Вршац, ) is a city in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the city urban area had a population of 31,946, while the city administrative area had 45,462 inhabitants. It is located in the geographical ...
the Vrabac showed far better flight characteristics than not only its German exemplar, but also from the Polish
Kocjan Wrona.
Production of 15 aircraft in two versions - A and B began in 1939, as the first serially built glider in
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
. Production continued after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and more than 150 were made. Due to the simple design of this glider, it was also made in local aeroclubs' workshops during the winter, so that they could be used for training during the summer.
Variants
;Vrabac A
:Initial version
;Vrabac B
:second version
Aircraft on display
*
Aviation Museum - Belgrade - a Vrabac A, manufactured in the Utva factory at
Pančevo
Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; ; ; ; ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on the shores of rivers Timiș (ri ...
Specifications (Vrabac A)
See also
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sostaric Vrabac
1930s Yugoslav sailplanes
High-wing aircraft