Aeroplane: Geest Möwe IV

Germany
pioneer era plane
1913

By the end of XIX century a German designer, Dr Waldemar Geest, one of the most talented aviation pioneers, experimented with the tailless aircraft configuration based on observation of birds' flight. In the years 1896–1900 he built a series of gliders, ended with patenting the wing, which thanks to its negative angle of incidence, featured natural stability.

In 1910, basing on the experience gained, Waldemar Geest built the glider resembling the silhouette of kittyhawk bird of prey. A year later, he built his first aircraft, the Möwe I, powered with the Argus engine and a wing with strongly shaped camber of profile and patented by Geest, wing tips. In 1911, the Moeve II powered with 70 HP Gnome engine appeared.

A year later, at the Berlin Johannisthal LVG works, the Möwe III powered with the 70 HP Argus engine was built. In 1913, two almost identical machines, the Möwe IV and Möwe V (with additional ailerons), powered with the 100HP Argus engines were built.

In May 1913, the Swiss pilot Alberto Colombo flying the Möwe IV during the “Aeronautical Week“ became famous as the only one, daring to fly in the stormy weather condition and achieving the 300 metres altitude.

The common feature of all the Waldemar Geest aircraft was an excellent in flight stability. In the same year, as one of the German pioneer aircraft designer, he was awarded with the donation of 35 000 mark as a price for the role he played in the development of aviation. This allowed him to finance the building of the Möwe VI, designed in co operation with the Aviation Experimental Institute in Adlershof.

The Geest Möwe preserved at the Polish Aviation Museum is the world’s only surving Waldemar Geest's aircraft.

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