Germans Cold War Spyplanes - D-450 Egrett-1 D-500 G-520 Strato G-850 Strato C2

[Michel Van]

in beginn of 1988, the German Media show picture of a unusual German Prototype
Grob Werke D-450 Egrett-1 a propeller plane with extrem long wings [picture 1]

this was joint Luftwaffe-USAF program "LAPAS" - called in U.S. "Senior Guardian"
Luftgestütztes, abstandsfähiges Primär-Aufklärungssystem
Airsupport- distanceenabled - Primary- Reconnaissancesystem
the name Egrett based on Companys names E-system, Grob, Garrett
the D-450 had to prove that a conventional mid-wing monoplane
and build from Composite material, can be a low cost stealth spyplane.

after success with with D-450 Ergett evolve to D-500 Strato 1 [picture 2]
also build from Composite material and powered by turboprop engine
it was design for electronic Reconnaissance and photo reconnaissance
with help changeable cargobay the plane was easy to equip [picture 3]
the D-500 became later serial model D-520 and two seat trainer D-520T
the Luftwaffe order 16xD-520 Strato and one D-520T to be delivered by 2001
but in 1991 the Sovjetunion collabs and
Germans government cancelled the Program after D-520T was complete
the D-520T was sold to to Airborne Research Australia in Adelaide.

during the Time study were made for Ergett-2 a Twin turboprop engine reconnaissance craft
name change in 1990 to Grob D850 Strato-2
a prototype was build but after the Sovjetunion collabs,
D-850 was used as experimental high altitude research aircraft.
and is one of biggest aircraft build in Germany.

links
Ergrett-1 / Grob D-520

Grob G 520 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

D-850 Strato-2C

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,651.0.html

Source for Picture and Information:
P.M. Magazin 2/1988 page 70
Flug revue 1/1993 page 8
Flug revue 6/1995 page 74

 

[Stargazer]

Oh I loved the Egrett and Strato when they appeared! The D-500 was displayed at the Paris Airshow but I can't quite remember what year (must have been 1991). Shame there was no production version, it could have been a capable "European U-2" type of aircraft...

 

[fightingirish]

It's a also a shame, that the Egrett and Strato program didn't be a starting point for a European long range & high altitude UAV, just like the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk.

 

[Machdiamond]

Eventhough it is post cold-war, let's not forget the G600 Hale which never went past the concept stage but followed Grob's legacy of high altitude long endurance aircraft.
--Luc

 

[fightingirish]

, I never knew about the G600 Hale.
More Information and a 3-view here at spyflight:
http://www.spyflight.co.uk/grob%20new.htm.

 

[Stargazer]

Oh I loved the Egrett and Strato when they appeared! The D-500 was displayed at the Paris Airshow but I can't quite remember what year (must have been 1991). Shame there was no production version, it could have been a capable "European U-2" type of aircraft...

It's a also a shame, that the Egrett and Strato program didn't be a starting point for a European long range & high altitude UAV, just like the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk.

I have got the feeling we are basically saying the same thing here, don't you think so? A strictly European high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, except the U-2 was manned and the Global Hawk is not. Flexibility, however, may be in the OPV formula (Optionally Piloted Vehicle), or at least in the development of both a manned and an unmanned aircraft depending on the type of role (like the Scaled Proteus, which exists as a piloted high-flying lab and will soon exist as a hunter-killer UAV).

Never heard of the Grob G-600 Hale either, by the way... That's why I love this forum!

 

[hesham]

Re: Germans Cold War Spyplanes - D-450 Egrett-1 D-500 G-520 Strato G-850 Strato

Eventhough it is post cold-war, let's not forget the G600 Hale which never went past the concept stage but followed Grob's legacy of high altitude long endurance aircraft.
--Luc

Hi,

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1257.0/highlight,grob.html

 

[Michel Van]

Re: Germans Cold War Spyplanes - D-450 Egrett-1 D-500 G-520 Strato G-850 Strato

wat happend with "Senior Guardian" program in U.S. ?

 

[Michel Van]

Re: Germans Cold War Spyplanes - D-450 Egrett-1 D-500 G-520 Strato G-850 Strato

here some new picture

Picture
1 : D-520 Strato 1 with cockpit
2 : Presuresuit for Pilot and Radar scanner for D-520
3 : Construction of D-500 at Grob

note
the prototypes were fly with normal flysuit
while D-520 pilots had to wear pressure suits

Data to D-500 Grob/E-system
crew: one pilot
Powerplant: 1xGarrett TPE331-14F, 595 kW (800 shp)
Length: 12,0 meter
wingspan 33,0 meter !
Height: 6,0 meter
Wing area: 40,5 m²
wing Aspect ratio: 27,2
Payload: 900 kg
Max takeoff weight: 4200 kg
Maximum speed: 350 km/h
Cruising speed: 300 km/h
Takeoff run : 600 meters !
Service ceiling: 17000 meter
Rate of climb: 7,5 meter/sec
flytime: 6 to 9 hours

Source for Picture and Information:
Flug revue 1/1993 page 8

 

[hesham]

Him


instead off open a new topic,we can speak about G-180 HALE aircraft here,it
is intended to compete Northrop Grumman Global Hawk;


http://www.spyflight.co.uk/grob%20new.htm

 

[Stargazer]

instead off open a new topic,we can speak about G-180 HALE aircraft here,it
is intended to compete Northrop Grumman Global Hawk;

That's a new one to me. Thanks!

 

[Cy-27]

Attached is an image from a publicity info sheet produced in early 1991 by E-Systems / Grob on the Egrett II type. I hope it is of some interest.

 

[robunos]

The three view from the above linked article. Note that this type is known as the Grob G-600...

cheers,
Robin.

 

[fightingirish]

Years after production halted, the Grob G520 is back in the spotlight, with Grob Aircraft seeking buyers for its revived G520 NG. [...]
The revived NG variant has a 750shp Honeywell TPE 331-14 powerplant and a digital glass cockpit from Genesys Aerosystems.[...]

Source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-grob-seeking-buyers-for-updated-g520-401725/
Website: www.grob-aircraft.com/index.php/basic-information-22.html
PDF: www.grob-aircraft.com/tl_files/pdf/NEW%20BROCHURES/G_520_new_download.pdf

 

[fightingirish]

Here an unmanned project of the Grob G-500 by Grob and E-Systems, which could have flown 24h and 4000nm or 7200km. It could have carried 675kg of equipment.
It could have been refuelled in the air to stay up to 30 days in the sky. In the attached picture, it looks like the Transall C-160 is refuelling this unmanned G-500.


Source: Luftwaffen-Forum, 03-1992, page 44+45

 

[Jemiba]

A little bit OT : The German Transall wasn't/isn't fitted for air-to-air refuelling, only the French
C-160NG, ok. But here the way of the fuel from the tanker to the receiver is even reversed.
Could that scheme be implemented into a standard aircraft with a refueling probe without
too many modifications ?

 

[AeroFranz]

Good question. DARPA's trial involving two GlobalHawks did indeed feature the trailing vehicle as the refueler and the leading one as the receiver...

 

[bobbymike]

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/12569/unusual-high-altitude-spy-plane-appears-at-special-operations-exercise

 

[hesham]

From L+K 1996/7.

 

[riggerrob]

Dear Michael Van,
In post #9, your last photo shows the shoulder of a pilot emergency parachute that I packed for the Egret project. That was back when I worked for Butler Parachute Systems in 1992-1993.

 

[Voltzz]

EVER (Endurance Vehicle for Extended Reconnaissance) brochure found here
The same site also has a lot of information (in german) on LAPAS/EGRETT here

 

[Trident]

According to this recent USAF experiment, it seems that at least with the boom refueling principle, a reverse flow mode of operation is possible without hardware changes:

USAF tests reverse flow air refuelling using C-5M to top off KC-10

The reverse refuelling concept turns the US Air Force's massive Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy strategic lifters into "floating gas stations", freeing up more dedicated tanker aircraft to refuel tactical craft.

www.flightglobal.com

 

[Awoodc1080]

Is there any info on the Grob turboprops that were in use in the mid 1960's. They must have been very secret.

 

[Sarastro]

Hi,
Mr. Hušek, a Czech industrial designer who emigrated from Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s, was involved in the design of the Grob D(G)-500 and Strato 2 aircraft. He was primarily an automotive designer, but also worked for the Grob company for several years.

Source: former website of Mr. Husek. Today it no longer exists, Mr. Husek died last June.

 

[Sarastro]

Hi,
Grob, Mr. Husek part two.

 

[Sarastro]

Hi,
Grob Strato 2, Mr. Hušek