Hans Jacobs
Reiher
The Reiher was a light, single‑engine monoplane developed in the early 1930s by German designer Hans Jacobs, best known for his work on gliders. Built at the Jacobs‑Klemm factory in Stuttgart, the aircraft entered production in 1932 as a response to the growing demand for economical sport and training machines. Its name, meaning “heron” in German, reflected the graceful, high‑wing layout and long, slender fuselage that gave it a distinctive silhouette.
Key features included a wooden frame covered with fabric, a 60‑horsepower Hirth HM 504 engine, and a fixed rear‑wheel undercarriage. The wing employed Jacobs’s patented, high‑aspect‑ratio design, giving the Reiher an excellent lift‑to‑drag ratio and allowing low stall speeds, which made it ideal for novice pilots. The cockpit was enclosed but simple, with dual controls for instructor and student.
Although only about 120 units were built before production halted in 1935, the Reiher demonstrated the practicality of low‑cost, high‑performance light aircraft. Its design principles influenced later German trainers such as the Bücker Bü 131 and helped establish Hans Jacobs as a pivotal figure in the transition from gliding to powered aviation.
Key features included a wooden frame covered with fabric, a 60‑horsepower Hirth HM 504 engine, and a fixed rear‑wheel undercarriage. The wing employed Jacobs’s patented, high‑aspect‑ratio design, giving the Reiher an excellent lift‑to‑drag ratio and allowing low stall speeds, which made it ideal for novice pilots. The cockpit was enclosed but simple, with dual controls for instructor and student.
Although only about 120 units were built before production halted in 1935, the Reiher demonstrated the practicality of low‑cost, high‑performance light aircraft. Its design principles influenced later German trainers such as the Bücker Bü 131 and helped establish Hans Jacobs as a pivotal figure in the transition from gliding to powered aviation.
