L 60

The Albatros L‑60 was a German two‑seat trainer introduced in the early 1920s as part of the post‑World War I effort to rebuild the nation’s civil aviation capability. Developed by Albatros Flugzeugwerke, the L‑60 derived its airframe from the successful wartime reconnaissance types but was equipped with a modest 120 hp Argus As III inline engine, giving it a cruising speed of roughly 150 km/h and a range of 500 km. Its wooden fuselage was covered with fabric, while the wings employed a mixed wood‑and‑metal structure that provided both light weight and sufficient strength for basic aerobatic manoeuvres. The tandem cockpit offered dual controls, allowing an instructor to supervise a student pilot directly. First flown in 1922, the L‑60 entered service with several German flying clubs and was also exported to neighboring countries, where it helped establish standardized pilot‑training curricula. Though only a few dozen were built, the aircraft demonstrated the practicality of low‑cost, reliable trainers in the interwar period and influenced later Albatros designs such as the L‑71 and the successful L‑100 series. Its legacy lies in the role it played in restoring German pilot competence after the Treaty of Versailles restrictions.