Albatros
L 65
The Albatros L 65 was a German two‑seat biplane conceived in the early 1920s as part of Albatros Flugzeugwerke’s effort to revive civil aviation after the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. First flown in 1924, the aircraft combined a conventional wooden frame with fabric‑covered wings and an enclosed cockpit for the instructor and pupil. Power was supplied by a 120 hp Mercedes D.II inline six‑cylinder engine driving a two‑bladed propeller, giving a top speed of about 175 km/h and a service ceiling of 5 000 m. Its short wingspan of 9.2 m and generous control‑surface area made it exceptionally responsive, which suited both basic flight training and aerobatic competition. The L 65 featured interchangeable wings that could be swapped for a slightly larger‑span version for record‑breaking endurance flights. Only a few dozen were built, but they served the burgeoning German sport clubs and helped train a generation of pilots who later formed the backbone of the Luftwaffe in the 1930s. Its low cost and simple maintenance made it popular with private owners, and a few survived into the early 1940s as liaison aircraft.
Classification
Dimensions
- Wing Area
- 27.83 square metre
- Length
- 7.58 metre
- Height
- 3.38 metre
- Mass
- 1840 kilogram
Performance
- Maximum Speed
- 240 kilometre per hour
- Service Ceiling
- 6200 metre
- Range
- 600 kilometre
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 2
- First Flight
- 1925
Design & Classification
- Primary Use
- Manufacturer
- Albatros
- Engine
- Napier Lion
- Wikidata ID
- Q2830832