| MAL 04 Speedbird | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Experimental aircraft |
| National origin | Austrian |
| Manufacturer | Horst Josef Malliga |
| First flight | 2013 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Malliga MAL 04 Speedbird was a high-speed experimental monoplane designed and built by Horst Josef Malliga.
Design of the Speedbird commenced in 2000, with construction starting in 2003. [1] The aircraft is based around a surplus drop tank, that Malliga had purchased for €25.00, and which originally was fitted to a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. [1] [2] It is a mid-wing monoplane of all-metal construction. The wings have no dihedral and are of narrow taper and fitted with outboard ailerons. The aircraft was equipped with a Cessna retractable tricycle undercarriage. [1] A diesel engine, located in the middle of the fuselage, drove a five-bladed pusher propeller located to the rear of a V-tail empennage. [2]
The aircraft was assigned the registration of OE-VMA. It first flew in 2013. [1] A test flight in 2015 ended with when tail flutter caused the elevator to lock, forcing Malliga to make an emergency landing. Malliga suffered a bruised rib, but the aircraft was almost completely destroyed. [3]
Data from Keimel [2]
General characteristics
Performance