Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-24
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| FS-24 in the Deutsches Museum in Munich | |
| Type designation | FS-24 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Length | 6.84 m |
| Wingspan | 16 m |
| Wing area | 14.36 m² |
| Aspect ratio | 17.83 |
| Empty mass | 164.2 kg |
| Maximum mass | 264.9 kg |
| Maximum speed | 172 km/h |
| Minimum sink rate | 0.52 m/s |
| Best glide ratio | 40 at 77 km/h |
The Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-24 (Phönix) was the first glider to use glass fibre in its construction.
The design was started at the Stuttgart Acadamische Fliegergruppe by R. Eppler and H. Näglele in 1951. Originally it was constructed of balsa wood with a strengthened outer layer of paper and glue layers. The project was abandoned until a grant was received for further research. By then glass fibre strengthened polyester resin was available and so it was redesigned using a balsa wood/glass fibre 'sandwich'. The load-bearing points and the edge of the cockpit canopy were strengthened with plywood. It made its first flight on 27 November 1957.
For its first flights it had a conventional tail unit but later a T-tail was added. The landing gear was retractable. Eight Phönixes were built.
