Klemm
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1926 |
| Defunct | April 1959 |
| Fate | Merged |
| Successor | Bölkow |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
The Klemm Leichtflugzeugbau GmbH ("Klemm Light Aircraft Company") was a German manufacturer recognized for its sports and touring aircraft during the 1930s.
Established in Böblingen in 1926 by Dr. Hanns Klemm—who previously contributed to both Zeppelin and the Daimler Aircraft Company—the firm specialized in light aircraft production.
History
During his tenure at Daimler, Klemm conceived the concept of a lightweight airplane constructed primarily from wood to ensure both durability and minimal weight. His design philosophy emphasized ease of construction, aerodynamic efficiency, and low mass with reduced wing loading, enabling operation with low-powered engines. The initial prototype, the Daimler L.15, featured a modest 7.5 hp (5.5 kW) Indian motorcycle engine; however, the first flights in early 1919 utilized a 12 hp (8.8 kW) Harley-Davidson engine instead.
Subsequently, Klemm developed a modified version of the L.15’s cylindrical fuselage into a squared-off shape for simplified manufacturing, which he named the L.20. To produce this model, he founded his own enterprise. Over 100 units of this aircraft were built, powered by a 20 hp (15 kW) Daimler engine engineered by Ferdinand Porsche.
In 1928, Friedrich Karl von Koenig-Warthausen undertook a solo journey to Moscow piloting a Klemm L.20 and extended his flight to complete a global circumnavigation, earning the prestigious Hindenburg Cup, Germany’s highest aviation accolade.
The L.20 evolved into the Klemm L.25, later rebranded as the Kl 25. This versatile aircraft could accommodate fourteen different engine variants; more than 600 units were sold worldwide, with manufacturing licenses granted in both Great Britain and the United States.
In January 1930, Mohamed Sidki flew from Berlin to Cairo, Egypt aboard a Klemm L25a. Upon landing on January 26th despite British authorities denying landing permission, Sidki emerged as a political icon dubbed The First Egyptian Eagle. He expressed gratitude to Klemm for outfitting the plane for long-distance flight, stating that "your beautiful little machine, the L25a has carried me through wind, snow and torrential rain without any damage to myself, the plane and the engine."
In 1931, Elly Beinhorn became the second woman to fly from Europe to Australia flying a Klemm Kl 26 equipped with an Argus engine and was awarded the Hindenburg Cup.
Klemm encountered difficulties in 1935 when the prototype of the Kl 35 crashed during tests at Rechlin. While officially attributed to material failure, overloading of the wings was likely the cause. After modifications to meet specifications, production commenced with approximately 2,000 units manufactured both at Klemm’s facility and by Fieseler, later supplemented by Czech company Moravan Otrokovice. These aircraft served as trainers for the Luftwaffe. During World War II, Klemm produced and designed several models including the Kl 105, Kl 106, Kl 107, as well as the Klemm Kl 151 and Kl 152.
Following the post-war prohibition on aircraft manufacturing being lifted in 1952, Klemm Aircraft Company was reestablished. By then semi-retired, Hanns Klemm’s son Hanns-Jürgen Klemm managed operations. The company’s first postwar model, the Kl 107-A, took flight in mid-1956. In April 1959, Klemm was acquired by Bölkow, and with the introduction of the Bölkow 207—successor to the Kl 107-C—the Klemm name ceased to appear among aircraft manufacturers.
Aircraft
The range of Klemm aircraft consisted of:
- Klemm (Daimler) L.20, a lightweight plane designed for leisure and pilot training, introduced in 1924
- Klemm Kl 25, a light aircraft intended for recreational flying and instruction, launched in 1928
- Klemm Kl 26, another light leisure and training model, released in 1929
- Klemm Kl 31, a single-engine transport aircraft from 1931
- Klemm Kl 32, also a single-engine transport plane developed in 1931
- Klemm Kl 33, known as Klemm L33, a prototype ultra-light, single-seat sport aircraft from 1933
- Klemm Kl 35, designed as both a sportplane and trainer, debuted in 1935
- Klemm Kl 36, a single-engine transport aircraft introduced in 1934
- Klemm Kl 105, a touring aircraft derived from the Kl 35 series (prototype stage)
- Klemm Kl 106, a sportsplane evolved from the Kl 35 design (prototype stage)
- Klemm Kl 107, a light aircraft for leisure and training purposes
- Klemm Kl 151, a touring plane project initiated in 1942
- Klemm Kl 152, a proposed fighter aircraft project
See also
References
External links
- File:Commons-logo.svg Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
