Origins of the Minimoa.

During the Rhön Contest of 1921 much interest was shown in a flying wing called “Weltensegler” designed by Dr. Wenk. It was gull-winged with swept-back tips and was much more externally braced. For a not certainly established reason, the “Weltensegler” broke up (a wing tip folding first), while flying out from the slope after launch.It was aid that it, had met the gusts of the first cloud lift ever encountered by a glider pilot. Its pilot, Wilhelm Leusch, was killed.

Weltensegler Dr. Wenk was working at Edmund Schneider’s firm in Grunau during 1929 When the great “Moazagotl” sailplane was being designed and built. Known as the Grunau 7, it still had the “Weltensegler” wing, increased greatly in span and externally braced, but only with struts. To bring the wingtips clear of the ground they were shoulder-mounted. It was said that the 20m span wings were never left with their tips unsupported in a hangar This was the true ancestor of the Minimoa. Built during 1931 and 1932, it made a great impression at the 14th Rhön Contest in 1933. In the 1934 contest it made the first glider flight of over 300 kms by flying 352 kms to Gorlitz on the first day. The pilot was, of course, Wolf Hirth. During the 1937 International Contest the “Moazagotl”, flown by Ludwig Hofmann gained second place behind Dittmar and the Fafnir2 “Sao Paulo”. Thus the “Minimoa”, which means Mini Moazagotl, had a truly famous ancestor.

What this means is not certain, but it is said that many years ago there was a farmer who, as he set at his plough, spent much time gazing at the sky and the clouds. People said that the clouds had a special meaning for him, especially the long stationary cloud that formed across a south wind. The farmer was called Gottlief Motz (the name Gottlief means God Love) or in Silesian dialect, “der Moatza Gottl” The long stationary cloud was, of course, the lenticular which formed in the lee of the Giant Mountains (Riesengebirge) near Grunau.

The Minimoa was to be so strong that it could be modified to the following versions:

1 With a wingspan of 18 metre (a 16m version was also to be offered).

2 With capability to carry ballast for cross-country flying.

3 With an engine behind the pilot, as a powered glider.

4 With a second seat behind the, in between the wings, for a second pilot or passenger.

Of the above, only the fourth possibility was realised. One Minimoa two-seater was completed in 1937. Visibility from the rear seat must have been worse than from a Kranich’s rear seat.

The severely dihedralled and swept-back wings were to ensure good lateral and pitch stability. The stability was so positive that the Minimoa would turn itself in clouds. Cloud flying and cross-countries were in 1935 being tried by more and more pilots. Height records set up in many countries was evidence that Minimoas could cloud fly with success. However, it is the writer’s impression that if a Minimoa wanted to fly itself, then,if it did get into trouble in cloud, might it not be harder for the pilot to rectify it? This was the case in the 1938 Rhön Contest, when three out of the seven aircraft, which broke up in clouds, were Minimoas.

Minimum depth, flat underside wing profiles were chosen so that wing profile drag would not increase severely with higher speeds. The Minimoa was supposed to have a useful cross country speed range of up to 110kph. The performance and handling does not deteriorate with increased wing loading as was evidenced by Jan Scott’s currently airworthy Minimoa in America having an empty weight of 650 lbs, which is more than that of some Kranich two-seaters. Minimoas are supposed to weigh 500lbs empty!

In 1939 Wolf Hirth moved from Grunau to the Stuttgart area, which was where his family came from. Here, he and Martin Schempp set up the

firm of the Sport-flugzeubau Schempp-Hirth at Göppingen. During 1935 alone, the new firm produced three types, the Göppingen 1 Wolf, the Göppingen 2, an updated, enclosed version of the Grunau 8 two-seater, and the Göppingen 3 “Minimoa”. Both Göppingen 1 and Göppingen 3 were finally so successful that more than 100 were built of each type.

It was felt that the “Moazagotl” had been too large for ease of handling on the ground and in the air and so the Minimoa was made smaller to improve these defects. Dr. Wenk’.s wing was now much cleaned up and cantilevered.

Our model of the Minimoa is characterized by a special attention to detail and excellent flight characteristics. The construction kit is made of laser-cut wood with selected balsa and lightweight plywood.

Produktbeschreibung

* Wooden kit (laser cut)

* Classic glider model

* Complete with all required wooden parts

* Control via rudder, elevator and ailerons

* Landing flaps installation possible

* Detailed, illustrated construction instructions

*Small parts, Hardwares

Technical data

Wingspan = 2844mm

Length = 1158mm

Weight = approx. 1800 - 1900g

WingArea = 54.8dm²

Scale = 1:6