AB Flygindustri Fi-3 LG105

AB Flygindustri at Halmstad, manufacturer of sailplanes, got the commission to design a glider - Fi-2 - with a capacity of six persons. But this project was cancelled. Instead a larger glider - Fi-3 - was designed by the company. This aircraft could carry a crew of two and ten soldiers. A glider aircraft for evaluation was ordered and delivered in February, 1944. It got the Air Force designation Lg 105 (and the Sw/AF No 105001).  

The front part of the fuselage was of welded steel tube with a baked plywood shell cover. The rear part was of monocoque plywood construction. Control surfaces and the rear part of the wing had fabric covering. The cargo doors were folding upwards. 

Trials began immediately after the glider was delivered. A B 5 dive-bomber was used as tug. At a routine test flight in April, the glider broke up in the air. The accident was caused of broken screws where the wing spar was fixed to the fuselage.  

After all, five new Lg 105's were ordered by the Air Force. Three gliders were built by AB Flygindustri, but further tests showed that the design was too weak structurally. The whole project was cancelled in September 1945. To fulfill the demand for transport capacity, the Air Force modified a number of the old B 3 (Ju 86) bomber as transport aircraft.   

As a preparation for the glider project, about 30 B 5's were fitted with hooks for towing by SAAB at Trollhättan.   

A project group plans to build a flying replica of a Lg 105.