Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 2M
The Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-2 was an Open Class competition glider that first flew in April 1971, succeeding the earlier Cirrus and going on to win the Open Class at the World Gliding Championships twice, with Göran Ax in 1972 and George Moffat in 1974. Built in four sections with a 20.3m wingspan for easier rigging and transport, it introduced upper-surface Schempp-Hirth airbrakes, camber-changing flaps, and a tail brake parachute to control its long, efficient wing on approach. More than 240 examples of the type were built through the early 1980s. A rare self-launching Nimbus 2M motorglider conversion was later built in the United States, fitted with a Nelson two-stroke engine.
Did you know?
An Open Class glider that won the World Gliding Championships twice in the 1970s, built in four sections for easier transport.
Specifications
| Length | 8.7 m (29 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 24.6 m (81 ft) |
| Height | 1.4 m (5 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 0.8 t |
| Range | 160 NM (296 km) |
| Rate of climb | 395 ft/min (2 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 44 l |
| Units built | 7 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 2M starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
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