The Darmstadt D-18 was a German light sports aircraft that was designed and built in the late-1920s by the Akaflieg Darmstadt of the

Technische Universität Darmstadt The Technische Universität Darmstadt (official English name Technical University of Darmstadt, sometimes also referred to as Darmstadt University of Technology), commonly known as TU Darmstadt, is a research university in the city of Darmstadt ...

Design and development

The aircraft was designed by F. Fecher and students in the aeronautical engineering department of the Technische Universität Darmstadt. It was a development of the D-16 project, that was designed for a sports aircraft contest organized by Idaflieg in 1926. The D-16 design with a 40-horsepower (hp) engine won the first prize, but was not built as the designer decided to strengthen the construction and fit a more powerful 88 hp

Armstrong Siddeley Genet The Armstrong Siddeley Genet was a five-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine for aircraft use built in the UK, first run in 1926. It developed 80 hp at 2,200 rpm in its final form and was a popular light aircraft powerplant. Followin ...

radial engine. The result was the D-18, a single aircraft was built in 1929. The aircraft was a

cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a canti ...

biplane, with an upper wing placed low above a

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

and ahead of a lower wing. Particular thought was given to aerodynamics and lightness and the aircraft was small, with a streamlined profile. Initially the D-18 had two open cockpits, but by 1930 it had been modified and fitted with a closed canopy covering both cockpits.

Operational history

The aircraft carried the registration of ''D-1561''. It took part in the

Challenge 1929 The Challenge 1929 was the first FAI International Tourist Plane Contest (french: Challenge International de Tourisme), that took place between August 4 and August 16, 1929 in Paris, France. Four Challenges, from 1929 to 1934, were major aviation ...

international tourist plane contest, piloted by Johannes Nehring, being one of the fastest planes in the contest. It was the best aircraft in the fuel consumption trial and, along with two other aircraft, won the first part of the contest - the technical trials. However, the D-18 dropped out due to a forced landing near

Września Września (german: Wreschen) is a town in west-central Poland with 28,600 inhabitants (1995). It is situated in the Września County, Greater Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Poznań Voivodeship (1975–1998), on the Wrześnica Riv ...

before

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...

on 11 August 1929, during a rally around Europe, because of a fuel pipe clogging. The aircraft turned over and suffered damage; its passenger was injured. The aircraft was repaired and, now fitted with an enclosed cabin, it took part in another contest,

Challenge 1930 The International Touring Competition in 1930 (french: Challenge International de Tourisme) was the second FAI international touring aircraft contest, that took place between July 18 and August 8, 1930 in Berlin, Germany. Four Challenges, from 1929 ...

, again piloted by Rudolf Neininger. On 26 July 1930, during a rally around Europe the D-18 was forced to ditch in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

between

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

and

Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of 148,5 ...

due to breaking a piston. The crew was rescued by a passing ship that also recovered the wreckage.

Specifications

Description

Wooden construction cantilever biplane of extreme stagger.

Fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

oval in cross-section, plywood covered. Single-spar wings, plywood and canvas covered.

Aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

on lower wing only Wings were dismounted and folded. Two crew cockpits in tandem, later covered with a common multi-part

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

. Fixed

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...

with a rear skid. Five-cylinder radial engine in the cowled nose with its cylinders projecting for cooling. Two-blade propeller.

References

*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, (Polish language)

External links

D-18 3-view Akaflieg Darmstadt pageD-18 photo Akaflieg Darmstadt pagePeter M. Bowers, ''Darmstadt biplanes''- article at General Aviation News
{{Akaflieg Darmstadt aircraft 1920s German sport aircraft Akaflieg Darmstadt aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1929