Klemm Kl 25

Klemm L 25, later Klemm Kl 25 was a successful German light leisure, sports and training monoplane aircraft, developed in 1928. More than 600 aircraft were built, and manufacturing licenses were sold to the United Kingdom and the United States.

Design and construction

With a low cantilever wing, fixed landing gear, and two open cockpits, the aircraft was developed by Hanns Klemm, who used his previous design, the Daimler L20, as a starting point. It first flew on a Daimler F7502 engine. About 30 different versions of the Kl 25 were made, and these were equipped with engines ranging from . The fuselage was covered with plywood.

Depending on the model, the aircraft's weight was , and it had a wingspan. Takeoff was achieved at only and the maximum speed was between .

In relation to similar aircraft of the time, assembly was very easy, and this made it a very popular aircraft. According to the sales brochures, only 25% of the engine's power was needed to keep the aircraft flying, compared to biplanes of the period, which required 50% engine power.

About 600 were built in Germany between 1929 and 1936, serving with various flight training organizations, with either wheels, skis, or floats. 15 were sold to Britain before the Second World War, being fitted with a variety of domestic engines, while 28 more were built by British Klemm Aeroplane Company as the B.A. Swallow. Production in the United States was carried out by the Aeromarine-Klemm Company which enjoyed moderate success, as well as developing models for the American market, in isolation from the parent company, with about 120 built of all models.

Operation

Klemm L 25s took part in many competitions, among others in International Touring Aircraft Competitions (Europa Rundflug) in 1929 (best 4th place) and in 1930 (best 2nd and 3rd places, L 25E variant).

Variants

:''NB, list not complete''
;
;L 25 a: Built between 1927 and 1929, equipped with a Daimler F 7502 engine
;L 25 I: Built between 1928 and 1929, equipped with a Salmson AD.9 engine
;L 25 Ia:
;L 25 IW:Floatplane version of the Ia, with two wooden floats supported by steel-tube struts in inverted 'W' configuration
;L 25 b: Built in 1931, equipped with a Daimler F 7502 engine
;L 25 b VII: Built in 1931, equipped with a Hirth HM 60 engine
;L 25 d II: Built in 1933, equipped with an Siemens-Halske Sh 13a engine

;L 25 d VII: Equipped with a Hirth HM 60R engine
;L 25 IVa: Equipped with Armstrong Siddeley Genet engine
;VL 25 Va: Three-seater variant, with a closed canopy, equipped with Argus As 8 straight engine
;L 25 Ve: (see L 25E) For Europa Rundflug 1930
;L 25E: (L 25 Ve) Special competition variant (E for Europa Rundflug 1930), with a closed canopy, smaller span, equipped with a Argus As 8

;:
: British Klemm Aeroplane Company B.K. Swallow
: British Aircraft Manufacturing Co. B.A. Swallow II

;:
:Aeromarine-Klemm AKL-25
:Aeromarine-Klemm AKL-70
:Aeromarine-Klemm Model 70 Trainer

Operators

;
*Bolivian Air Force
;
*Royal Hungarian Air Force
;
*Peruvian Air Force
;
*Royal Romanian Air Force
;
*South African Air Force

Specifications (L 25.Ia)

See also

References

Bibliography

* Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. .

External links

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's Aeromarine-Klemm AKL-26 page

{{RLM aircraft designations

1920s German civil trainer aircraft
1920s German sport aircraft
Klemm aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1928