The Schleicher Ka-2 Rhönschwalbe is a tandem two-seat training glider designed and built in Germany, in 1952.
Design and development
Designed by Rudolf Kaiser, the Ka-2 was an all wooden glider with plywood and aircraft fabric covering. The Ka-2s wings, with marked forward sweep and dihedral are mounted above the fuselage, flanking the rear cockpit. The front cockpit is covered by a one piece plexiglas canopy which opens to the right and the rear cockpit is covered by a canopy incorporating the inner leading edges of the wing, opening rear-wards, held in place by the front canopy when closed. The undercarriage of the Ka-2 comprises a large rubber-sprung wooden skid under the forward fuselage in front of a non-retractable semi recessed mainwheel, as well as a steel rubber-sprung tail-skid. Conventional controls are fitted with ailerons on each wingtiptrailing edge, elevator with anti-balance trim tab behind the tailplane and rudder aft of the fin. Schempp-Hirth airbrakes, at 38% chord and approx ⅓ span, open out above and below the wing to provide approach control. Performance of the Ka-2 was found to be lower than expected, due to the relatively high wing loading. Schleicher introduced the Ka2b, increasing the wingspan from to, to improve the efficiency of the wing. Fuselage length was also increased by to to maintain stability margins in pitch. Performance of the Ka-2b was improved in weak thermals due to a lower minimum sink speed, allowing tighter thermalling. Cross-country performance was also improved by a higher glide ratio, increasing the chance of reaching the next thermal. The standard competition handicap for the Ka–2 is 74 and the Ka-2b handicap is 78.
Operational history
The Ka-2 and Ka-2b saw extensive use in gliding clubs throughout Germany and Europe and the Ka2b was also used in several record attempts; On 24 January 1959Dieter Schmitt and Karl Pummer climbed a Ka-2b in lee wave lift at Fayence in France for a new German National two-seater record climb. Later the same day flying to to set a new German two-seater absolute altitude record. A Ka2b also set a distance record for two seaters in Germany of in 1964 and again on 28 May 2012 at , flown by Uli Schwenk and his 81-year-old father.
Variants
;Ka-2: The initial production glider with a span wing and long fuselage. ;Ka-2b:An improved performance version with span wings and fuselage.
