Graupner,WP ME 108 TAIFUN,9387

WP ME 108 TAIFUN Graupner 9387 Designed for the 1934 Europa Rundflug contest, the Messerschmitt 108 B developed into a record-breaker. The machine was flown by various pilots including Elly Beinhorn, who was highly successful in competitions; for example, on 13.08.1935 Frau Beinhorn flew from Gleiwitz to Istanbul and back to Berlin - a distance of 3750 km - in just 13.5 hours. Incidentally, it was Frau Beinhorn whogave the aircraft the nickname "Taifun" (Typhoon). In 1933 the Bayrische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Factory - BF) received a contract to design a four-seat touring aeroplane. Even today the Me 108 compares extremely well with more modern touring aircraft. The Taifun is a four-seat cabin low-wing aircraft of all-metal construction, designed with particular emphasis on good aerodynamic efficiency. For transport the wing panels canbe folded back against the fuselage after actuating a simple lever which releases the wing securing bolts. The retractable undercarriage is extended and retracted by means of a hand-crank via a simple worm-gear system. An audible warning signal, triggered by the idle setting of the throttle lever, reminds the pilot to lower the undercarriage. The V-8 engine, developing around 250 BHP, bestows a top speed of around 320 km / hron the Me 108. The model is of conventional built-up all-wood construction. The wells for the retract units are built into the wing panels as standard. For safety reasons the two elevators are actuated separately. The rudder and elevators are operated using the DSS system, while the ailerons and landing flaps are driven by servos installed immediately adjacent to them, guaranteeing slop-free linkages. For goodcontrollability on the ground, e.g. for taxi-ing to the take-off position, the tailwheel is linked to the rudder and is fully steerable. The cowl is moulded in GRP and is supplied pre-painted. The Me 108 can be flown and landed very slowly if the landing flaps are lowered. Completing the model requires only a few minor tasks: the builder has to join the wing panels and glue the tail panels to the fuselage. Thecanopy is supplied in the pack already trimmed. The fuselage, wings and tail panels are factory-built and film-covered.

Assembly instructions in German, English and French, with stage photos; fuselage, wing panels, tail panels, GRP cowl, retractable undercarriage, wheels, canopy, fueltank, small items and linkage hardware pack.

Rudder, coupled steerable tailwheel
Elevator
Ailerons
Landing flaps
Throttle
Retractable undercarriage

Wingspan approx. 1600 mm
Fuselage length excl. spinner approx. 1300 mm
Wing area approx. 56 dm²
All-up weight, according to fittings, approx. 3900 g