Glasflügel 401
| 401 Kestrel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Kestrel over the "Bergisches Land" in Germany | |
| Role | Open class sailplane |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Glasflügel |
| Designer | Eugen Hänle |
| First flight | 9 August 1968 |
| Number built | 129 |
|
| |
The Glasflügel H-401 "Kestrel" is a glider that was developed in 1968 for the open class. It has a wingspan of 17 metres. It is named after the kestrel bird.
History
The Kestrel can be seen as the prototype of today's 18 meter class.
129 Kestrel gliders were built by Glasflügel between 1968 and 1975.
The British company Slingsby also built the Kestrel under license as the T59 and T59B. The T59B has a wingspan of 19 metres and was developed for the 1970 World Gliding Championships.[1]
On 18 May 2005, Gordon Boettger flew 2 061 km in his Kestrel in lee waves along the Sierra Nevada in the USA.[2]
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Length: 6.72 m (22 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 17.00 m (55 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 11.6 m2 (125 ft2)
- Aspect ratio: 25
- Empty weight: 260 kg (570 lb)
- Gross weight: 400 kg (880 lb)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 250 km/h (160 mph)
- Maximum glide ratio: 43:1
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 2
- SZD-38 Jantar 1
- Related lists
Notes
- ↑ Ellison, Norman (1971), British Gliders and Sailplanes, p.230. A & C Black, Limited, London. ISBN 0-7136-1189-8
- ↑ FAI 2000 km Flight Register Retrieved 2012-01-02
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kestrel. |
- Flight Manual
- Die Entwicklung der Kunststoffsegelflugzeuge, Dietmar Geistmann, Motorbuchverlag, ISBN 3-87943-483-2
- Sailplane Directory
| ||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||