RLM numbering system for gliders and sailplanes

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Introduction

Contrary to the methods used by the RLM for the allocation of aircraft designations, the designers and manufacturers of sailplanes and gliders in Germany enjoyed the freedom of choosing their own designations for their products up until 1945. Thus a bird name like "Habicht" could be used or a number combined with two or more letters, stemming from the designer's or factory's name, such as DFS, RRG or Göppingen. The RLM only assigned them for every design a separate number, which obviously served the same purposes as that used with aircraft, namely to provide a common basis for an exchange of drawings in the event of an intended production under license by other firms or by clubs, or even single persons and to secure the provision of spare parts. A rigid system of rules for the form and order of drawings was applied.

As regards the structure of the following list, it is obvious, that the numbering began with 10, comparable with the RLM list of aircraft designations. This first number was allocated to a rather antiquated primary glider, the Grunau 9 or ESG 29, also called the "Schädelspalter" (skull splitter), which was still in use in considerable numbers at that time.

Explanations

In the following list the designer (in some cases identical with the manufacturer) is given in parentheses, while a series manufacturer who differs from the designer, can be found separated by a /.

To characterize the kind of glider/sailplane three categories are used:

- primary glider: very simple constructions with no or little wind protection for the pilot (e.g. Zögling or SG 38), abbreviated as "primary",
- utility performance: closed fuselage, aerodynamically well formed wings, able to cover longer distances e.g. for silver "C" badge (Baby, Wolf), abbreviated as "utility",
- high performance: aerodynamically extremely carefully designed, mostly with considerably extended span, abbreviated as "performance".

Please note that the list given here contains only proven allocations."

List of sailplanes and

108-10 - Grunau 9 (also ESG 29), (Schneider), primary 1929
108-11 - Zögling 33, (RRG), primary, 1933

108-14 - Schulgleiter SG 38, (Rehberg,Hofmann) primary, 1938
108-14a Schulgleiter SG 38, with pilot fairing,so called boat, primary, 1938
108-15 - Zögling 12m, (RRG), (Stamer,Lippisch), primary, 1934
108-16 - EW-2,(Weber), tandem (two + two) four seater, performance

108-21 - Hi 21, (Hirth), side by side two seater, utility
108-22 - Hi 20, (Hirth), MoSe, means powered glider

108-29 - Fliege II a, primary, 1935
108-30 - Kranich II, (DFS),tandem two seater, utility and performance, 1935

108-47 - Rhönadler, (Jacobs), performance 1932
108-48 - Condor I, (Dittmar), performance, 1934
108-49 - Grunau Baby IIa, IIb, (Schneider), utility, 1933
108-50 - Rhönbussard, (Jacobs), performance, 1933
108-51 - Rhönsperber, (DFS,Jacobs)/Schweyer Ludwigshafen, performance 1935

108-53 - Habicht, (DFS,Jacobs), E-series, acrobatic performance, 1936
108-53 - Stummel-Habicht, (DFS), (F with 8 m and G with 6 m span),

108-56 - Condor II, (Dittmar), performance, 1935

108-58 - Göppingen Gö 1 Wolf, (Hirth)/Schempp-Hirth, utility, 1935
108-59 - Goppingen Gö 3 Minimoa, (Hirth)/Schempp-Hirth, performance, 1935
108-60 - Reiher, (DFS,Jacobs), performance, 1937
108-61 - Göppingen Gö 4, (W.Hütter)/Schempp-Hirth, two seat utility, 1937
108-62 - Strolch, (Schwarzwald-Flugzeugbau Donaueschingen), performance
108-63 - Mü 13d, (Akaflieg München), performance, 1936
108-64 - Ibis, (Schwarzwald-Flugzeugbau Donaueschingen)
108.65 - Condor III, (Dittmar)/Schleicher, performance, 1938
108-66 - Grunau Baby III, (Schneider), utility, 1938
108-67 - H 17, (Hütter), utility, 1934
108-68 - Weihe, (DFS,Jacobs), performance, 1938

108-70 - Olympia Meise, (DFS,Jacobs), performance, 1939

108-72 - Mü 17 Merle, (Akaflieg München), performance, 1939

108-74 - FVA 10b Rheinland, (FVA Aachen,Kracht)/Schmetz, Herzogenrath, performance

This list is based mainly on informations given by Mr. Peter F. Selinger

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