Malliga MAL 04 Speedbird

The Malliga MAL 04 Speedbird was a high-speed experimental monoplane designed and built by Horst Josef Malliga.

Design and development

Design of the Speedbird commenced in 2000, with construction starting in 2003. The aircraft is based around a surplus drop tank, that Malliga had purchased for €25.00, and which originally was fitted to a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. It is a mid-wing monoplane of all-metal construction. The wings have no dihedral and are of narrow taper and fitted with outboard ailerons. The aircraft was equipped with a Cessna retractable tricycle undercarriage. A diesel engine, located in the middle of the fuselage, drove a five-bladed pusher propeller located to the rear of a V-tail empennage.

Operational history

The aircraft was assigned the registration of OE-VMA. It first flew in 2013. A test flight in 2015 ended with when tail flutter caused the elevator to lock, forcing Malliga to make an emergency landing. Malliga suffered a bruised rib, but the aircraft was almost completely destroyed.