The DFS Weihe (”Harrier” in English) from 1938 became the standard high performance sailplane in most European countries. As the Se 103 Kranich, this sailplane was designed by Hans Jacobs at DFS (Deutsches Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (German Research Institute for Soaring Flight). The Weihe set a lot of world records in the post-war years. After the war, a slightly modified variant was manufactured by Focke-Wulf. 

The Weihe got the designation Se 104 in the Air Force. The 19 Weihe purchased  were manufactured by AB Flygindustri (AFI) at Halmstad. 17 of them (Air Force numbers 8301-8317) were delivered in 1943. Two years later, further two Se 104 were bought from the same company (8318- 8319). 

The Weihe was built from wood and fabric. Instead of the gull-wing used by other contemporary popular designs, a straight wing was chosen to give a cheaper aircraft. The wing used a thin aerofoil section. The relatively long fuselage had a narrow cross section to improve the flying performance, but made the cockpit rather uncomfortable. Like the Se 103 Kranich, the glider used a jettisonable double wheel to take off and landed on a skid landing gear. The aircraft was easy to dismount after landing at remote places.  

Behind the pilot, there was a luggage space where a 40 litres ballast tank and oxygen bottles for flying at high altitudes could be stowed.  

In 1964 all wooden sailplanes in Sweden - including the Weihe - were grounded as the glued joints of the aircraft began to get unsafe.  

Photo at top: This Se 104 is displayed at Flygvapenmuseum. It carried the Sw/AF No 8316 and the c/n 235.     

Photo below: This Se 104, in the markings of Wing F 4 at Frösön/Östersund must have made a record flight. It is now soaring over the ruins of Brahehus at Lake Vättern, more than 500 km from home! Photomontage with the help of a model Se 104 from the Museum of Soaring at Ålleberg. 

Length: 8,0 m. Span: 18,00 m. Height: 2,18 m. MTOW: 335 kg. Max. speed: 70 km/h. Lift/drag ratio 29:1 at 70 km/h. 

For the Model Builder

CMR - Czech Master Resin, has a resin model kit of DFS Weihe in scale 1:72 for sale. Modelljärnvägsspecialisten i Luleå sells the kit with Swedish decals . Catalouge number 5015S. Click on thumbnail for larger picture.

© Lars Henriksson

Updated 2010-07-11