__NOTOC__ The Brügger MB-1, MB-2 and MB-3 Colibri is a family of small sports aircraft designed in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

in the 1960s and 1970s for amateur construction.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 110. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 116. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.

Design and development

The Colibri family are single-seat, low-wing

cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is unsupported at 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 cantilev ...

monoplanes with fixed tailwheel undercarriage powered by a four-cylinder horizontally opposed Volkswagen air-cooled engine automotive conversion. The MB-1 Colibri first flew in 1965 and served as a development aircraft for the definitive MB-2 Colibri 2 that flew in 1970. These aircraft had all-wooden framework with fabric-covered wings and plywood-covered

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...

s. The pilot's seat was enclosed by an expansive bubble canopy. In 1976-77, Brügger built and flew an all-metal version as the MB-3. Many examples are actively flying in 2012. The MB-2 is noted for its handling qualities.

Specifications (MB-2)

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Brugger Colibri 1960s Swiss sport aircraft Homebuilt aircraft Colibri Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1965