Klemm-L20-Projekt-CraftLab

The Klemm L20 project

This elaborate project was launched by Ernst Piëch, the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, his head of design of the engineering office and board member of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft. The idea for the project stemmed from the original Daimler F7502 aircraft engine with series number 66481. There were also family ties with the “L´École D´Aviation Mircea Cantacuzino” flight school which used the Klemm L20 aircraft at the beginning until they were replaced by the succeeding model L25.

Klemm L 20, 1923.

Klemm L 20 originated between 1923 and 1924 as a low wing aircraft made out of wood with angular fuselage section and fabric covering. The wings and elevators could be collapsed / folded out for road transport. For its design, Klemm was able to get the support of Martin Schrenk of the flugtechnische Verein Stuttgart (aeronautical association) and was also able to get Ferdinand Porsche on board for the design of the accompanying Daimler F 7502 aircraft engine.

It took the company Craft Lab GmbH more than 800 hours of research to fully reconstruct the aircraft. Original fragments of the L20 of the Graz aviation museum (formerly Grabner), fragments of the L20 from Argentina as well as original photos and contemporary documents of various publications served as the model. Craft Lab required approximately 5,600 hours for the construction of the cell with the focus always being on maximum originality. The authentic realisation of the fine detailed solutions, the general filigree character of the aircraft as well as the aerodynamic design in wood which was new at the time, ensured a sophisticated and fascinating project.

Sebastian Knapp, CraftLab.

The plane constructed in this way resembles the appearance of a factory-made aircraft as was supplied by Klemm around 1924.

On 19 June 2020, Austro Control issued the authorisation for its trial. On 25 June at 6.19 pm, after patiently waiting for suitable weather, the Klemm finally took off for the first time on a 20-minute journey with Sebastian Knapp, in-house pilot of Craft Lab GmbH, on board!

 

 

 

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Text: Craft Lab GmbH

Bildnachweis

Bilder © Markus Tatscher

Historisches Bild © Craft Lab GmbH

 

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