Short SB.1

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Short SB1
Type	experimental glider
Manufacturer	Short Brothers
Designed by	David Keith-Lucas
Maiden flight	14 July, 1951
Number built	1

Contents 1 History 2 Specifications 2.1 General characteristics 2.2 Performance 3 External link

[edit] History

The Short Brothers Short SB.1 was a tailless glider designed by David Keith-Lucas and Professor G.T.R.Hill and built by Shorts as a private research venture, to test the concept of the aero-isoclinic wing.

For the first flight on 14 July, 1951 the SB1 was winch-launched and the gliding characteristics were found by Shorts' Chief Test Pilot Tom Brooke-Smith to be satisfactory.

Further test flights were followed on 30 July, 1951 by the first towed launch: the SB1 was towed behind a Short Sturgeon to a height of 10,000 ft, and the flight was completed successfully. Brooke-Smith experience the problems inherent in flying a light aircraft in the turbulence caused by the towing aircraft, and the second flight (with a longer towline, which was intended to alleviate the problem) almost ended catastrophically: Brooke-Smith had to cast off at low altitude and force-landed, injuring himself seriously and damaging the aircraft.

The company persevered with the project, however, redesigning the aircraft and adding two small turbojet engines. The result was the Short SB.4 Sherpa

[edit] Specifications

[edit] General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Length: ft in (m)
• Wingspan: ft (m)
• Height: ft in (m)
• Wing area: ft² (m²)
• Empty: lb ( kg)
• Loaded: ( kg)
• Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: none

[edit] Performance

• Maximum speed: mph ( kph)
• Endurance: minutes
• Range: mi ( km)
• Service ceiling: ft ( m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

[edit] External link