<!-- This article is a part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout. --> {{Infobox aircraft |name=L 72 |image=Albatros L72 front NACA Aircraft Circular No.8.png |caption= |type=Cargo aircraft |manufacturer=Albatros Flugzeugwerke |designer=Gustav Lachmann |first_flight=1926 |introduction= |retired= |status= |primary_user= |more_users= |produced= |number_built=4 |variants= }}

The '''Albatros L 72''' was a German transport aircraft of the 1920s, designed to carry newspapers between German cities for Ullstein Verlag. A single revised example was built for the ''Hamburger Fremdenblatt''.

==Design and development== The L 72 was a single-engine biplane of conventional configuration with unstaggered wings of equal span. It was the first German commercial aircraft to incorporate leading edge slots and trailing-edge flaps. The upper and lower wings were interchangeable. They were of all metal construction with fabric covering. The thickened centre section of the upper wing contained the fuel tanks. The upper wing was carried on a tubular cabane and one set of 'N' formation interplane struts was provided with stream-lined wire bracing. The fuselage was built of welded steel tubing with diagonal wire bracing and was fabric covered. Aft of the pilot's cockpit was a cabin containing a conveyor-like device which could accept up to sixteen parcels of newspapers weighing {{convert|10|kg|lb|abbr=on}} each. These could then be dropped, either by an attendant travelling in the cabin or by the pilot, an indicator in the cockpit indicating how many parcels had been dropped. A novel feature of the tail was the rudder and fin which were both pivoted in such a way that when the rudder was turned the fin also turned around a vertical axis thus providing a more powerful rudder control for a smaller angular movement<ref>''Flight'' April 15, 1926 p.228–231</ref>

==Variants== * '''L 72a''' * '''L 72b''' - two examples for Ullstein AG * '''L 72c Albis''' - one example for ''Hamburger Fremdenblatt''

==Specifications (L.72a)== thumb|Albatros L 72 3-view drawing from Les Ailes May 6, 1926 {{Aircraft specs |ref=Flight, 15 April 1926, p.231 |prime units?=met <!-- General characteristics --> |genhide=

|crew=two, pilot and engineer |capacity=4 passengers or 2 handlers plus 160 kg (353 lb) of newspapers |length m=10.5 |span m=12.8 |height m= |height ft= |height in= |wing area sqm=36 |empty weight kg=1300 |gross weight kg=2000

|fuel capacity= <!-- Powerplant --> |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=BMW IV |eng1 type= |eng1 hp=220 |prop blade number=2 |prop name= |prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

<!-- Performance --> |perfhide=

|max speed kmh=160 |cruise speed kmh=170 |endurance=4.5 hr |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |more performance= *'''Landing speeds:''' 100 knm/h (62 mph) with slots closed, 75 km/h (47 mph) open

}}

==See also== {{aircontent <!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. --> |related=<!-- related developments --> |similar aircraft=<!-- similar or comparable aircraft --> |sequence=<!-- designation sequence, if appropriate --> |lists=<!-- related lists --> |see also=<!-- other relevant information --> }}

==References== {{commons category}} {{reflist}} * {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |pages=55 }} *[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200260.html "Albatros 72A] ''Flight'' 15 April 1926 pp.&nbsp;228–231 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190829/http://www.histaviation.com/Albatros_L_72.html German Aircraft between 1919-1945] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927203519/http://www.luftfahrt-archiv.de/Flugzeugtypen.asp?Type=Link&ID=T863&Name=L_72&SID=810721180 luftfahrt-archiv.de] <!-- ==External links== --> {{Albatros aircraft}}

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Biplanes Category:1920s German cargo aircraft L 072 Category:Aircraft first flown in 1926 Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft