| BA-100 Baby Albatross | |
|---|---|
| A Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross in flight. | |
| Role | Glider |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Hawley Bowlus |
| Designer | Hawley Bowlus |
| First flight | 1937 |
| Introduction | 1938 |
| Produced | 1938-1944 |
| Number built | 156 kits were sold |
| Unit cost | US$750 ready-to-fly, US$385 kit (1938 price) |
The Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross is an American high-wing, strut-braced, open cockpit, pod-and-boom glider that was designed by Hawley Bowlus and introduced in 1938.[1][2]
Contents |
Bowlus designed the Baby Albatross as an inexpensive glider during the Great Depression. The aircraft initially sold for US$750 ready-to-fly, and US$385 as a kit for amateur construction. Initially produced as a kit by Bowlus, the rights to the design were purchased in 1944 by Laister-Kauffmann, although that company went out of business before commencing production.[1][2]
The BA-100 is of mixed construction. The wings and tail surfaces are of wooden structure, covered in aircraft fabric. The tailboom is made from a metal tube and the cockpit pod is of molded plywood. The aircraft features no glide-path control devices, although some were later modified with spoilers. The airfoil is a modified Gö 535 section.[1][2]
The production of the BA-100 totaled 156 kits delivered.[1][2]
Many well known soaring pilots owned and flew the BA-100 as their first aircraft. These include Dick Johnson, Richard Schreder and Joe Lincoln. Despite its modest performance the BA-100 has been flown on many flights of over 250 mi (402 km).[1][2]
One BA-100 was modified by Schweizer Aircraft, replacing the plywood cockpit pod with a steel tube one.[1][2]
Data from Sailplane Directory and Soaring Magazine[1][2]
General characteristics
Performance
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