Engineering:Albatros L 68

L 68 Alauda
L 68a
Role	Trainer
Manufacturer	Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Number built	18

The Albatros L 68 Alauda was a two-seat Germany trainer aircraft of the 1920s. It was a single-engine biplane of conventional configuration that seated the pilot and instructor in tandem, open cockpits. The wings were of unequal span and had a pronounced stagger.

Variants

• L 68 - original production version with Siemens-Halske Sh 11 engine (3 built)
• L 68a - longer wingspan and Sh 12 engine (3 built)
• L 68c - main production version based on L 68a (10 built)
• L 68d - Siemens-Halske Sh.III engine (1 built)
• L 68e - Armstrong Siddeley Lynx engine (1 built)

Specifications (L 68c)

Albatros L.68 2-view drawing from Le Document aéronautique June,1927

General characteristics

• Crew: two, pilot and instructor
• Length: 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 10.10 m (33 ft 2 in)
• Height: 2.56 m (8 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 24.4 m² (263 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 650 kg (1,430 lb)
• Gross weight: 950 kg (2,090 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Siemens-Halske Sh 12 , 80 kW (110 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 140 km/h (90 mph, 78 kn)
• Range: 360 km (220 mi, 190 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,200 m (13,800 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1.4 m/s (270 ft/min)

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 55. 
• German Aircraft between 1919–1945