| SZD-36 Cobra | |
|---|---|
 SZD-36 Cobra | |
| General information | |
| Type | Glider aircraft |
| National origin | Poland |
| Designer | W. Okarmus, A. Meus und M. Mikuszewski. |
| Number built | 290 x SZD-36 Cobra + 2 x SZD-39 Cobra 17 |
| History | |
| First flight | 31 December 1969 |
| Developed from | SZD-32A Foka 5 |
The SZD-36 Cobra was a glider designed and produced in Poland from 1968.
The SZD-36 was the penultimate iteration of the SZD-24 Foka, with improved construction techniques and materials and many detail changes over the Foka 5. The aircraft was designed especially for the 1970 World Gliding Championships at Marfa, Texas, where J. Wroblewski took 2nd and F. Kępka took 3rd places in the Standard Class behind a Rolladen-Schneider LS1. The Cobra also proved popular with ordinary pilots resulting in a long production run of 290, of which 215 were exported.
To compete in the Open class at Marfa in 1970, W. Okramus and M. Mikuszewski developed a 17m span version as the SZD-39 Cobra 17, which took 5th place flown by Edward Makula.
Construction was predominantly of wood with plywood skinned semi-monocoque fuselage, thick skinned built up wings, and fibreglass cockpit shell. With high g limits, high Vne and effective speed limiting air-brakes on the upper surface of the wings, the SZD-36 Cobra is popular as an aerobatic machine. There have been cases of catastrophic structural failure due to incorrect wing attachment, caused ultimately by worn parts in the attachment assemblies.
Following a fatal accident due to failure of the wing attachment mechanism in 2007 [1] and another fatality with a glider with similar assembly mechanism, [2] the British Gliding Association has issued a Safety Alert for owners of Cobra gliders. [3]
Data from http://www.piotrp.de/SZYBOWCE/dszd36.htm
General characteristics
Performance
The SZD-59 Acro is a single-seat glass composite glider for aerobatics and cross-country flying by PZL Allstar of Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
The SZD-21 Kobuz was a single-seat aerobatic glider designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny in Bielsko-Biała from 1958.
The SZD-8 Jaskółka was a single-seat glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny in Bielsko-Biała from 1951.
The SZD-6x Nietoperz was a single-seat tail-less experimental glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny in Bielsko-Biała in 1951. Only one example was constructed.
The SZD-7 Osa was a single-seat developmental glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny in Bielsko-Biała in 1950. Only one example was built.
The SZD-10 Czapla was a two-seat training glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland from 1953.
The SZD-11 Albatros was a single-seat glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny - Glider Experimental Works in Bielsko-Biała in 1954. Only one prototype was completed and flown.
The SZD-12 Mucha 100 was a single-seat glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland from 1953.
The SZD-13 Wampir was a single-seat tail-less glider designed and built in Poland from 1955.
The SZD-14X Jaskółka M was a single-seat glider designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny - Glider Experimental Works in Bielsko-Biała in 1954. This was an experimental prototype, and only one unit was constructed.
The SZD-15 Sroka was a single-seat glider designed and built in Poland in 1956.
The SZD-25A Lis was a single-seat glider aircraft that was designed and built in Poland from 1955, derived from the SZD-16 Gil and SZD-25 Nov.
The SZD-17X Jaskółka L was a single-seat high-performance competition glider designed and built in Poland at Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny in Bielsko-Biała in 1955.
The SZD-20x Wampir II was a single-seat tail-less research glider designed and built in Poland from 1959.
The SZD-22 Mucha Standard was a single-seat aerobatic glider designed and built in Poland from 1957.
The SZD-24 Foka (Seal) was a single-seat high-performance aerobatic glider designed and built in Poland in 1960.
The SZD-27 Kormoran (Cormorant) was a two-seat glider designed in Poland from 1961.
The SZD-41 Jantar Standard was a Standard Class glider designed and produced in Poland from 1973.
The SZD-40x Halny is an experimental two-seat glider designed and built in Poland in 1971.
The IS-2 Mucha was a single-seat training glider designed and built in Poland starting in 1947.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)