Klemm sport aircraft - Germany: books - history

Klemm-Flugzeuge (Band II): Klemm-Spurensuche, Letzte Klemm-Flugzeuge & Sammelobjekte

This second volume of the Klemm book series is dedicated to tracking down traces of the historical sites of Hanns Klemm's former work, as well as the search for the last remaining structures that Hanns Klemm created in more than 50 years as a civil and aeronautical engineer, as well as an aviation entrepreneur.

Finding the former forge of German motorsport flight is proving difficult more than 60 years after the end of Klemm aircraft construction. Many of the important sites of the former Klemm factories are now built over and can only be identified by a few specialists and local historians. The first part of this volume is dedicated to these now forgotten places.

The second part of the book deals with the search for the last of the more than 3 000 Klemm aircraft built. Of these, around 100 aircraft still exist today, most of which have been kept in airworthy condition by their owners for decades with great commitment and dedication.

Product details

Klemm-Flugzeuge (Band I): Leichtflugzeugbau Klemm GmbH, Flugzeugwerk Halle GmbH, Daimler Flugzeugbau

No other name is as closely associated with the concept of light aircraft construction as the name of Hanns Klemm. As early as 1919, Hanns Klemm developed the idea of flying for everyone. By 1924, under the leadership of Hanns Klemm, the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft had produced the Daimler L20, the first series-produced light aircraft made of wood.
The successor model, the Klemm L25, was a low-cost, affordable people's aircraft for large parts of the population, and became the most-flown sports aircraft in Germany in the 1930s.

The name Klemm is closely linked to the city of Böblingen, where Hanns Klemm built his own aircraft factory in 1928. More than 2000 Klemm aircraft were built in the Böblingen Klemm factory between 1928 and 1943. Under the National Socialists, Hanns Klemm lost his creative opportunities in his own company.
In protest against the requirements of the Reich Aviation Ministry, Hanns Klemm resigned from his post as managing director of Klemm aircraft in 1943. His company was confiscated.
Hanns Klemm himself was arrested several times by the Gestapo until the end of the war. His son Hanns-Jürgen managed to briefly revive Klemm aircraft construction after the war before Hanns Klemm died in 1961.

Product details