{"id":11735,"date":"2026-03-21T13:51:40","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T17:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volareproducts.com\/new2024\/?page_id=11735"},"modified":"2026-03-22T09:39:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T13:39:48","slug":"klemm-l-25-documentation-racing-in-america","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/volareproducts.com\/new2024\/gallery\/model-documentation\/klemm-l-25-documentation-racing-in-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Klemm L.25 \u2013 DOCUMENTATION \u2013 Racing in America"},"content":{"rendered":"

The KLEMM L.25 for the <\/strong>
\nFlying Aces Club National Air Races<\/em> Event<\/strong><\/h2>\n

IMPORTANT UPDATE AT THE END!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

BACKGROUND <\/strong><\/p>\n

As long as the Flying Aces Club (FAC) Racing events have existed, the eligible models have been limited to AMERICAN race planes.\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s not exactly correct \u2013 the racing events have been limited to participants in these American Races.\u00a0 When the FAC only had the Thomson (radial engined models) and Greve (inline or V- engined models) Races, the only accepted non-US participant was the French Caudron C.460, which won the actual 1936 Thompson (unlimited cubic inches) and the Greve (under 550 cubic inches) Races in Los Angeles, California.<\/p>\n

Along with the FAC Rules modifications separating the events between Inline and Radial Engines, the FAC Rules allowed that any aircraft participating in any US race between 1929 and 1940 was eligible.\u00a0 This opened the door to models that did not participate in the two premiere races, but any race in any location throughout the country and decade.<\/p>\n

Some of us intrepid modelers look for the more unusual subjects to model.\u00a0 Around 2016-17, Richard Zapf and I (independently) did research to verify that a Comper Swift (G-ABWH) participated in a 1933 air pageant at Roosevelt Field on Long island, New York.\u00a0 And thus, the Comper Swift became eligible for the Greve Race.\u00a0 (Read that article HERE<\/a>.)\u00a0 Note: the Comper is no longer eligible for the Greve, but now the National Air Race event \u2013 read below.<\/p>\n

Shortly after that, the FAC reworked the rules slightly.\u00a0 We added an event \u2013 the National Air Races (NAR) \u2013 for a dual purpose:\u00a0 a) it restricts the Thompson and Greve participation to sets of specific racing aircraft and b) opens up the new event to a myriad of potential new models.\u00a0 While the Thompson and Greve events are now restricted to purpose-built racing aircraft, the NAR event would be open to any type of aircraft that flew in contests around the country: time trials, cross country races, pylon races, and so on.\u00a0 These could even be actual race events that were restricted to Aircraft Type Certified (ATC) planes \u2013 this certification mostly covers commercial aircraft (not race planes).\u00a0 For the modeler to participate in the NAR event with a commercial aircraft, they have to prove (via documentation) that the aircraft participated.\u00a0 For example, there are many lists that show Rearwin Speedsters or even Piper Cubs participating in real races \u2013 BUT \u2013 the modeler must find proof\/documentation on an actual aircraft in order to model the aircraft and fly in the NAR event.\u00a0 These pieces of proof are hard to find these 90 years out.<\/p>\n

About 2018, I dug into the records (mostly online) and found documentation for a specific Cessna C-34 that Betty Brown flew and won the Amelia Earhart Trophy in 1936.\u00a0 I was able to find the Registration Number, the Race Number and even the proper coloring of the plane.\u00a0 This became my second FAC Race-eligible discovery.\u00a0 (Read that article HERE<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

So, to recap, in order for new models to qualify for the NAR event, the modeler must find documentation that specifically identifies an aircraft that \u2013 indeed \u2013 participated in an air race between 1920 and 1940 within the United States.\u00a0 This is a tall order.\u00a0 You really need to find Registration and a Race Number \u2013 and proof it was in a race.\u00a0 I have a photo somewhere of unidentified, but clearly high-wing aircraft circling a pylon.\u00a0 Much like the listing of a Rearwin, this starts you to thinking, but without any sort of identification, your proposal will be rejected by FAC Headquarters.\u00a0 Finding this sort of documentation is not easy.<\/p>\n

THE PHOTO<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes I do in-depth google searches for \u201cthings\u201d and one of the things I search for \u201cNational Air Race\u201d or the like and sometimes the results pay off.\u00a0 Around 2015 \u2013 maybe later, maybe earlier \u2013 I found this photograph on Ebay and bought it.<\/p>\n

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I bought it because online references are fleeting, especially if it is an auction item.\u00a0 I might not ever find it again.\u00a0 The photo itself is only partial documentation; but the back completes the story.\u00a0 This is a German-built Klemm aircraft that participated in the National Air Races (Cord Cup Race) in Cleveland in 1932.\u00a0 At least, if you are eager to find such information, that might be what it says!\u00a0 But this might not be enough evidence, so the search must continue.<\/p>\n

RESEARCHING THE RACE<\/strong><\/p>\n

What was the Cord Cup Race?\u00a0 All of the information that I can find indicates the Cord Cup Race was only held in 1932.\u00a0 It was sponsored by Cord Corporation (manufacturers of the luxury Cord, Auburn, and later, Duesenberg automobiles).\u00a0 It consisted of a three-legged handicapped cross country race for commercial aircraft.\u00a0 One leg started in Washington DC, another in Los Angeles.\u00a0 These two converged on Bartlesville, OK and the third and final leg flew on to Cleveland, finishing the contest on the opening day of the National Air Races.\u00a0 The top finishers of each leg would win an Auburn Boat-tailed Speedster plus cash.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Further digging found a list of results from the 1932 National Air Races, including the results of the Cord Cup Race.\u00a0 Note the next-to-last entry from the Pacific Wing:\u00a0 Ulrich Richter, from Munich, Germany, flying a Klemm with an Argus engine.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t finish very well, but this solidified the photo I had purchased, since it lists all those details, excepting \u201cGermany\u201d but including the Argus engine. \u00a0The purchased photo and this participant list makes this Klemm eligible for the Flying Aces Club national Air Races event.\u00a0 This is Find #3 for me!<\/p>\n

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RESEARCHING THE AIRCRAFT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that we know the aircraft flew in the races, it is time to get specifics to create the plan and model.\u00a0 The first thing to find is a 3-view.\u00a0 This was not difficult; a Google search for \u201cKlemm L25 3-view\u201d quickly found one.\u00a0 In fact, you might find several.\u00a0 Take a look at each of them and look for one that is of good quality.\u00a0 Like this:<\/p>\n

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This not only shows the general layout, but also fuselage cross sections which helped me when I drew up the plan.<\/p>\n

WikiPedia (link HERE<\/a>) tells us that model L-25 came with a variety of engines, so some things on the three view may not be accurate to the aircraft in the photo.\u00a0 Look for images on the Klemm when fitted with the Argus inverted 4-cylinder inline engine.\u00a0 I found a few photos, including the next Klemm model, the L-26.\u00a0 It looks like Klemm fitted some Argus engines to the L-25 models to equip them for racing.\u00a0 The L-26 seems to have been a more robust L-25.\u00a0 The Argus motor has specific differences, including the exhaust location and there seems to have been a vaned oil cooler or something on the top right side of the engine (see photo).\u00a0 This particular detail was different on different aircraft.\u00a0 Also, it looks like the Argus engines had a leather belt across the nose to hold the cowling together.<\/p>\n

There are no struts or structural wires on the aircraft.\u00a0 Sometimes these are not shown on a 3-view, so examination of several photos confirm there are none.\u00a0 The tail skid was on the original builds, but photos of aircraft from modern times often show a tail wheel.\u00a0 Since photos from the 1930s show only tail skids, this is what will be on the plan.<\/p>\n

The landing gear does have struts.\u00a0 These are of a style that is a front and rear strut converging on the centerline of the aircraft.\u00a0 The wheels and struts are then supported by shock absorbers (aka oleo struts) positioned from the wheel\/axle junction, near vertically, to the wing center section, just behind the leading edge.<\/p>\n

For this specific aircraft, the race photo seems to show the German registration number white-washed out and covered by the race number.\u00a0 By enlarging the photo and changing the contrast, it is somewhat evident that the registration contains D-15×3 \u2013 where the \u201cx\u201d is uncertain.\u00a0 The structure of the third number seems to have a solid round left hand side, so that would probably be a 6 or an 8.\u00a0 There is a British web site that lists registration numbers from the Golden Era.\u00a0 Looking at the D-1563 and D-1583, the site shows that D-563 was registered to a Junkers F-13 and the D-1583 was registered to a Klemm L-25.\u00a0 D-1583 it is.<\/p>\n

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There is a small logo on the vertical fin.\u00a0 It is a dark circle with light markings.\u00a0 This is not legible, but recognizable as a STANAVO logo.\u00a0 STANAVO was a supplier of aviation fuel and oil and a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company. \u00a0\u00a0Here is a sign for STANAVO, but if you look very closely, it is not the same as the photo.\u00a0 But it will have to do.<\/p>\n

That is nearly all that can be derived from the photo and good 3-view:\u00a0 the aircraft, the engine, the registration, the logo on the tail, and the landing gear arrangement.<\/p>\n

INTERPRETATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some things cannot be determined through research; at least, the research that is available online.\u00a0 Such things shown in the photo that are indeterminate are as follows:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What colors was this aircraft?<\/u> Obviously, we cannot know since this is the only photo we know of and it is in black & white.\u00a0 Also, there is no color callout on the registration listing or in the Cord Race results list.\u00a0 It is possible the base color is a cream or raw linen color \u2013 many \u201cold\u201d Klemms look to be this \u201cstraw\u201d color.\u00a0 The upper color might be powder blue, light green, orange, or \u2013 who knows.\u00a0 I settled on a cream and light green, although my printed results are more of a yellow than cream.<\/li>\n
  2. Were there colors on the wing?<\/u> In the US, many planes carried fuselage colors and trim onto the wings.\u00a0 However, I can find no such style in old photos of German Klemms.\u00a0 Therefore, I chose to make the wings entirely the same base color (cream\/yellow).\u00a0 Other modelers modeling this exact plane could choose other colors and be just as correct as I am.<\/li>\n
  3. What was the layout of the wing registration numbers?<\/u> Photos of old German Klemms had both registrations that spanned both wings and numbers on the right side wing.\u00a0 I found photos of a contemporary Klemm L-26 racer that had the same style font and the number was on right wing only.\u00a0 This is the style I chose.<\/li>\n
  4. What is that text below the front cockpit?<\/u> This text seems to be a personal marking and appears to say \u201cRaberi\u201d \u2013 or it could be something completely different, especially if it was written in a German script.\u00a0 Since it is unclear as to what the exact letters are and what the word might mean, I chose to leave this off of my plane.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    READ THE ADDENDUM WITH ALL THE CORRECTIONS HERE<\/a>!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    MY MODEL<\/strong><\/p>\n

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