Klemm Kl 26

Kl 26
General information
Type	Training plane
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Klemm
Number built	170 (German-built L 26 only)
History
First flight	1928
Developed from	Klemm Kl 25

The Klemm L 26, later Klemm Kl 26, was a low-wing trainer aircraft built by Klemm.

Design and development

The L 26 was a larger, reinforced development of the Klemm L 25.^[1]

Like the L 25, the L 26 was a single engined low-wing monoplane with fixed conventional landing gear. Most variants were two-seaters with tandem open cockpits.

Operational history

The L 26 was first flown in 1928 and entered production the following year and was produced until 1936.^[2] The L 26 was also produced in the United States by Aeromarine-Klemm as the AKL-26.^[3]

In 1931, Oskar Dinort won the Deutschlandflug ^[de] in an L 26 Va.^[4] Other notable pilots of the L 26 included Ernst Udet and Elly Beinhorn.^[5]

Variants

Klemm

This is an incomplete list.

Elly Beinhorn's radial engined L 26

L 26 II

Two-seat trainer, radial engine

• L 26 IIc, cowl ring

L 26 III

Enclosed cockpit

L 26 V

Two-seat trainer

• L 26 Va, 95 hp Argus As 8A-2 engine
• L 26 Vc, 120 hp Argus As 8 engine; most produced variant
• L 26 Ve, 120 hp Argus As 8A-3 engine

VL 26

Three-seat touring aircraft

Klemm L 27

L 27

Enlarged front cockpit^[1]

L 28

Aerobatics aircraft, 150 hp Siemens-Halske Sh 14A engine^[1]

L 30

Homebuilt aircraft based on the L 25/26^[1]

Aeromarine-Klemm

American-built AKL-26 floatplane

AKL-60

Prototypes of the AKL-26, 3 built^[6]

AKL-26

70 hp LeBlond engine, 7 built^[6][7]

AKL-26 Special

Floatplane conversion of the AKL-26 with Edo floats and a 65 hp Velie M-5 engine, one converted^[6]

AKL-26A

Extra fuel tank, one AKL-26 converted^[6][7]

L-26A

Floatplane version of the AKL-26A, at least 14 built^[6][7]

L-26B

Also AKL-26B or AKL-85, 85 hp LeBlond 85-5DF engine, floats optional^[6][7]

L-26X

65 hp Velie M-5 engine^[6]

L-27

Also AKL-27, L-26B with 110 hp LeBlond 110-7DF engine^[6]

Survivors

Surviving AKL-26 at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

Of the 170 aircraft built in Germany, only one survived World War II, and that aircraft no longer exists. However, an American-built AKL-26 is on display in a dismantled state at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, New York.^[8]

Specifications (AKL-26A)

Data from ^[6][7]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 256.5 kg (565 lb)
• Length: 7.16 m (23 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 12.48 m (40 ft 2 in)
• Height: 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 18 m² (194.5 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 465.3 kg (1,025 lb)
• Gross weight: 721.8 kg (1,590 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × LeBlond radial engine, 52 kW (70 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 148.8 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
• Cruise speed: 130 km/h (80 mph, 70 kn)
• Stall speed: 64 km/h (40 mph, 35 kn)
• Range: 768 km (480 mi, 420 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 3,660 m (12,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 3.05 m/s (600 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 40 kg/m² (8.18 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 10.3 kg/hp (22.7 lbs/hp)

See also

Related development

• Klemm Kl 25

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of Germany

References

1. "Klemm L-25". www.airwar.ru. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
2. Heinz J, Nowarra (1985). Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-763-75464-4.
3. "Aeromarine L-26 / AKL-26 / AKL-27 / AKL-60 / AKL-85 / Klemm L-26 / Uppercu L-26B". all-aero.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
4. . 2018-04-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20180425114817/https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1931/1931%20-%200886.PDF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2020-07-09. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
5. Hanns Klemm geht neue Wege in FliegerRevue, July 2010.
6. "Aeromarine L-26 / AKL-26 / AKL-27 / AKL-60 / AKL-85 / Klemm L-26 / Uppercu L-26B". all-aero.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
7. "Aeromarine-Klemm AKL-26A two-seat training and sport monoplane". www.skytamer.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
8. "Golden Age (1919-1940) « Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome". Archived from the original on 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-07-09.