Homecoming
of the „Taifun“
Motorgliders from Germany and the rest of Europe gathered together
on Hassfurt airfield. It was here that the aircraft was built during
the eighties. The pilots enjoyed a lot of hangar talk together with
a walk around the old factory.
28
Taifun Pilots from Germany and the remainder of Europe gathered
together last week-end in Hassfurth, the place of birth
of the Taifun .
Picture: Ulrike Langer
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Haßfurt
- The cradle of the „Valentin-Taifun“ stood in Haßfurt.
Only 136 pieces of this very special touring motor-glider in low-wing
configuration were built by the company Valentin-Flugzeugbau from
1981 till 1989. The aircraft was loved by its owners throughout Europe
and the US. The ‘Taifun friends’ fly-in last week-end
brought more than 28 aircraft together to their place of birth..
The cradle is still there: the hangar where once 136
Taifuns have been built (image Google Earth)
"He wanted to build aircraft however with good airspeed."
Thomas Fischer
There
was a lot of action on the Hassfurt airfield, when motorgliders from
Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switserland approached for landing.
‘’The Taifun, is the best built motorglider ever’’,
proudly stated by Henk Dumont (Netherlands) who, as many other ’Taifun’
pilots has his roots in soaring and as such can appreciate the performance
of the aircraft as a tourer and glider.
Yearly
Taifun meeting.
Twelve years ago the now 62 years old pilot purchased a Valentin Taifun
17 EII and since 1999 he organizes, together with Manfred Garben from
Berlin, the yearly meeting. The initiative for the Hassfurt meeting
came from the airfield director Mr. Mendel. He further developed the
idea that came up by Dirk Linz, a member of MFC Hassfurt.
The pilots and crew members who came a long way had a very exiting
program in front of them: Most of them got acquainted for the first
time with the Taifun designer Mr. Fischer and company director from
Hassfurt factory Mr. Friedrich. On top of that they had a chance to
visit the original construction hall, which now is being used by an
Ultra Light manufacturing company called Ulbi.
From 1979 until 1981 the engineer Mr. Thomas Fischer designed for
Valentin-Flugzeugbau in Konigsbrunn close to Augsburg the propeller
driven aircraft, thus realizing the dream of Bernd Valentin. ”He
wanted to build aircraft, aircraft with speed’’, Mr. Fisher
stated. “The result was a 245 km/h fast two side seat dream
aircraft, with the charm of being the best in its class.
Special features including a tricycle retractable gear, flaperons,
speed brakes and foldable wings. In 1981 the prototype that was built
in Bad Worishofen was presented. While looking for a manufacturing
settlement, Bernd Valentin purchased the company Strauber-Frommhold
that was since 1978 producing the Mistral Glider. Between 1981 and
1989 one hundred thirty six Taifuns left the production hall in Hassfurt,
of which 130 are still flying, one of them stands in the German air
museum of Schlessheim.
The city counselor Mr. Rudolf Handwerker, former mayor of Hassfurt
in the era, gave a warm welcome to all "Taifun fans" in
the birthplace of there aircraft. I admired tremendously the enormous
motivation of Bernd Valentin, he expressed.
The former company director Mr. Ernst Friederich who still lives in
Hassfurt today, gave the "Taifun" crowd a guided tour through
the manufacturing hall, meanwhile reminding the fans that in the hey
days once 50 people were employed by Valentin-Flugzeugbau Gmbh.
"It was the most beautiful Taifun fly-in ever"
Manfred Garben
Sadly
enough the manufacturing was not a profitable business. In the framework
of the meeting a presentation was given by Rainer Korff and his daughter
Cornelia Korff. Also Peter Limbach from Konigswinter from the aircraft
known engine manufacturer gave a presentation.
On the last of the three day happening the pilots with achievements
were presented with prizes from both companies. For his achievements
in the Taifun flying community Henk Dumont received one of the last
pins in the form of a silver Taifun.
Before the crews prepared their home journey, Manfred Garben had concluded
that this was one of the most beautiful Taifun meetings ever.
More
on the internet: www.powerglidertaifun.de
Manfred
Garben from Berlin and Henk Dumont from Susteren in Holland
(from the left) organized a Taifun fly-in in Hassfurt.
Picture: Ulrike Langer
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Article translated
from German as published in both Fränkischer Tag and Haßfurter
Tagblatt on 2.09.2008 with friendly authorizations from the author
Ulrike Langer
Translation from German into English by: Luc Vermeulen D-KJTN