| SP-1 Paper Wing | |
|---|---|
| Anne Morrow Lindbergh flying the Bowlus SP-1 Paper Wing on launch | |
| Role | Glider |
| National origin | United States |
| Designer | William Hawley Bowlus |
| First flight | 1929 |
| Status | Sole example no longer exists |
| Number built | One |
The Bowlus SP-1 Paper Wing was an American parasol-wing, single-seat, glider that was designed and constructed by William Hawley Bowlus, first flying in 1929.[1]
Contents |
The SP-1 was named the "Paper Wing" because its wing rib webs were fabricated from paper. Otherwise the aircraft was predominantly wood and doped aircraft fabric.[1]
The aircraft originally had 44 ft (13.4 m) span wing with a USA 35-A airfoil. The wingspan was later increased to 47 ft (14.3 m), mostly by increasing the size of the ailerons. The aircraft achieved a very low empty weight for its size of 160 lb (72.6 kg) and a matching low wing loading as well.[1][2]
The SP-1 was the first American-built glider to fly for over a hour.[1] The SP-1 was flown by both Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
A copy of the SP-1, called the Nighthawk, was flown by William A. Cocke to a world endurance record of 21:34 in 1931. This glider is in the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, California.[1]
Data from Sailplane Directory[1]
General characteristics
Performance
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