SAI KZ III

{{Short description|Danish light utility aircraft}} {{Infobox aircraft |name = SAI KZ III |image = SAI KZ III 1.jpg |caption = KZ III air ambulance at The Danish Collection of Vintage Aircraft |type = utility aircraft |manufacturer = SAI |designer = |first_flight = 11 September 1944 |introduction = |retired = |status = |primary_user = Denmark |more_users = |produced = 1946–1951 |number_built = 66 |unit cost = |variants = }}

The '''SAI KZ III Lærke''' ("lark") was a Danish light utility aircraft used by the Danish Air Ambulance Service and Danish Air Force.

The first KIII was built during the German occupation of Denmark and first flew on 11 September 1944. With German permission it was transferred to the Redningskorpset (Rescue Service).<ref name=Flight220547p464>{{cite journal |title=The KZ-III | journal=Flight |date=29 August 1946| volume=L| issue=1966| page=215| url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1946/1946%20-%201675.html |access-date=2008-09-15}}</ref><ref name=AMAW>{{cite journal |last=Simpson |first=Rod |date=Winter 2021 |title=The KZ Legacy|journal= Air Britain Aviation World|pages=238–242}}</ref> A second war-time example was smuggled to Sweden. The two wartime aircraft had {{cvt|90|hp|kW}} Gipsy Minor I engines.<ref name=AMAW/><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=KZ III |url=http://flymuseum.dk/html/flytekst/kz3.php|language=Danish |access-date=2023-08-06}}</ref>

The KIII had a high wing braced by V-struts to the lower fuselage. Its fuselage had a steel tube structure and, like the rest of the aircraft, had fabric covering. Its two front seats shared dual controls. Slotted flaps and fixed, full span slots provided a gentle stall.<ref name=AMAW/>

64 were built post-war<ref name=AMAW/> with {{cvt|100|hp|kW}} Blackburn Cirrus Minor II engines.<ref name=AWA>{{cite book |title= Airlife's World Aircraft|last= Simpson |first= Rod|year=2001|publisher= Airlife Publishing Ltd|location= Shrewsbury|isbn=1-84037-115-3|page=485 }}</ref> Many of these went to flying clubs, mostly in Denmark but with sales to several near-by countries. A few went further, one to Singapore and another to India, where its airframe still survives.<ref name=AMAW/>

==Operators==

===Civil operators=== ;{{DEN}} * Danish Air Ambulance Service

===Military operators=== ;{{flag|Denmark}} * Royal Danish Air Force.

==Specifications== {{Aircraft specs |ref=''Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947.''<ref name=JAWA1947>{{cite book |title=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947 |editor1-last=Bridgman |editor1-first=Leonard |year=1947 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co |location=London|page=111c }}</ref> |prime units?=met  |crew=two |length m=6.6 |span m=9.6 |height m=2.1 |wing area sqm=13 |aspect ratio= |airfoil=NACA 23012<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref> |empty weight kg=368 |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=706 |max takeoff weight note=with auxiliary tank full, {{convert|34|kg|abbr=on}} and extra {{convert|21|kg|abbr=on}} luggage |fuel capacity={{cvt|68.2|L|USgal impgal}} in main fuselage tank and {{cvt|41|L|USgal impgal}} in auxiliary tank |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Blackburn Cirrus Minor II |eng1 type=four cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine |eng1 hp=100

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Weybridge |prop dia m=1.9 |prop dia note=wooden fixed pitch propeller  |max speed kmh=185 |max speed note=at sea level |cruise speed kmh=170 |cruise speed note=at 2,200 rpm<br/> *'''Landing speed:''' {{cvt|55|km/h|mph kn}} |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km=500 |ferry range km=805 |endurance= |ceiling m=4115 |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio=1:8 (flaps up); 1:5 (flaps down) |climb rate ftmin=700 |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2=48.83 |fuel consumption kg/km= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass=9.72 kg/kW (16 lb/hp) |more performance=<br/> *'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|70|m}} *'''Landing run:''' {{cvt|50|m}} |avionics= }}

==See also== {{Aircontent |related= *SAI KZ VII |similar aircraft= *RWD-13 *Piper PA-15 Vagabond |lists= |see also= }}

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{cite book |last= Simpson |first= R. W. |title=Airlife's General Aviation |year=1995 |publisher=Airlife Publishing |location=Shrewsbury |pages=348–49 |isbn= 1-85310-577-5 }}

==External links== {{commons category|SAI KZ III}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050204060924/http://flymuseum.dk/sprog/engelsk/UKfly/kziii.html Profile at The Danish Collection of Vintage Aircraft]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sai Kz Iii}} Category:1940s Danish civil utility aircraft Category:Skandinavisk Aero Industri aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1944 Category:Single-engined piston aircraft