HARMON "DER DONNERSCHLAG"

HARMON “DER DONNERSCHLAG”

Plane & Pilot

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipović

Key Takeaways:

"The Thunderclap" is an open-cockpit sport plane whose airframe served as the design foundation for the "Mr. America" model, sharing major structural components.
It is a single-seater aircraft powered by a 75-hp modified Volkswagen engine, featuring wire-braced shoulder wings and a two-blade wooden propeller.
The plane boasts a top speed of 120 mph, cruises at 110 mph, and has a range of 500 miles with a service ceiling of 10,000 feet.

See a mistake? Contact us.

STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 600. Empty wt. 350. Fuel capacity 10. Wingspan 19’6″. Length 14’6″. Engine 75-hp Volkswagen.
PERFORMANCE: Top mph 120. Cruise mph 110. Stall mph 55. Climb rate 800. Ceiling 10,000. Takeoff run 150. Landing roll 250. Range 500.

The language translation of this open-cockpit sport plane’s name is “The Thunderclap.” The airframe of this plane was used as the foundation for “Mr. America.” Both share similar wings, fuselage, tail unit, and landing gear. The wings are a wire-braced shoulder type with two simple beam spars. As with the Mr. America, seating is for one behind a modified Volkswagen engine turning a two-blade wooden prop.