Grade-Monoplane, 1909

The Grade monoplane was the first successful German powered aircraft, featuring lighter construction that partly made up for some of Germany’s then lag in aeronautical design.

Hans Grade’s first aircraft was a light triplane built in 1907/08. His second aircraft, the Grade monoplane seen here, won the Lanz Prize in October 1909 for the first German pilot to fly a horizontal figure of eight over a distance of at least 2.5 km.