Glasflügel 303

Glasflügel 303 Mosquito

Mosquito In Flight.
Type designation	303
Competition class	15 metre
Number built	202
Crew	1
Length	6.40 m
Height	1.40 m
Cockpit width	0.62 m
Cockpit height	0.83 m
Wingspan	15 m
Wing area	9.86 m²
Aspect ratio	22.8
Wing profile	FX 67-K-150
Empty mass	ca. 242 kg
Water ballast	125 kg
Maximum mass	450 kg
Wing loading	ca. 33 - 46 kg/m²
Maximum speed	250 km/h
Minimum sink rate	ca. 0.61 m/s at 83 km/h
Glide ratio	ca. 41 (Idaflieg) ca. 39 (Johnson)
Roll rate	ca. 5 s at 93 km/h -45º to +45º bank

The Glasflügel 303 Mosquito is a composite 15 metre Class single-seat sailplane manufactured by Glasflügel between 1976 and 1980.

History

Designed for the 15 metre racing class, the Mosquito replaced the Libelle in Glasflügel's production line. It married the Standard Class Hornet fuselage with a new flapped wing employing the ubiquitous FX 67-K-150 airfoil. The wing featured innovative interconnected trailing edge dive brakes-variable camber flaps. The glider had automatic connection for all controls: ailerons, elevator, air brakes and water ballast.

The maiden flight of the Mosquito took place in 1976. It is by all accounts a nice handling, comfortable and pleasing aircraft, but a little less performing than the contemporaneous Rolladen-Schneider LS3 and ASW 20. Therefore, the Mosquito (and the Schempp-Hirth Mini-Nimbus that shares the same wing) did not do well in top level competition, neither did it find the large commercial success of the Libelle. The Mosquito was superseded in 1980 by the Glasflügel 304.

The 303 Mosquito is often referred to as the H303 or H-303. This is incorrect, as the H designates gliders designed for Glasflügel by the Hütter brothers.

Sources

• Johnson R, A Flight Test Evaluation of the Mosquito, Soaring, August 1979
• Thomas F, Fundamentals of Sailplane Design, College Park Press, 1999
• Simons M, Segelflugzeuge 1965-2000, Eqip, 2004
• Sailplane Directory