L 67

The Albatros L 67 was a single‑engine, parasol‑wing trainer developed in the early 1920s by the German manufacturer Albatros Flugzeugwerke. Conceived as a replacement for the aging D‑III fighters that were being retired from service, the L 67 first flew in 1923 and entered limited production the following year. The aircraft featured a wooden frame with fabric covering, a 120‑horsepower inline BMW IIIa engine, and a spacious, open cockpit that could accommodate an instructor and a student side by side. Its high‑set wing provided excellent visibility and stable handling, making it ideal for basic flight instruction and aerobatic training. Only fifty‑four airframes were completed, most of them serving with the Reichswehr’s clandestine training schools during the Versailles‑imposed restrictions. Though never exported in large numbers, the L 67 played a crucial role in preserving German piloting expertise in the inter‑war period, laying the groundwork for later advanced trainers such as the Heinkel He 72. Aviation historians credit the L 67 with helping sustain a skilled cadre of pilots who would later form the core of the Luftwaffe in the 1930s. Its modest design exemplified the ingenuity of post‑war German engineering.