“TURBULENT”€

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Turbulent, designed by Roger Druine, was a highly successful aircraft manufactured by companies in England and Germany due to its quality.
  • It features an all-wood, fabric-covered airframe, notably incorporating a unique wing design with leading edge slots and Friese-type ailerons.
  • This design allows for a very low stall speed of approximately 29 mph while maintaining full aileron control, and it is commonly powered by 30-40 hp Volkswagen engines.
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STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 620. Empty wt. 342. Fuel capacity 10.5. Wingspan 21’6″. Length 17′.
PERFORMANCE: Top mph 100. Cruise mph 85. Stall mph 29. Climb rate 500. Takeoff run 440. Landing roll 300. Range 350.

This brainchild of Roger Druine is so good that Rollason Aircraft in England and Flugzeubau in Germany started manufacturing them. The Turbulent’s airframe is an all-wood structure covered with fabric. It uses a box spar with a built-up rear spar, conventional ribs, and a plywood-skinned leading edge forming a rigid D section. A happy feature of the Turbulent wing is leading edge slots and Friese-type ailerons that bring the stall down to around 29 mph with full aileron control all the way. Volkswagen engines from 30 to 40 hp are commonly used.

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