Slingsby stallion
| Slingsby T.18 stallion | |
|---|---|
 The last actually built Hengist (DG676) in aircraft tow |
|
| Type: | Glider |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
January 1942 |
| Number of pieces: |
8 built (4 prototypes, 4 series aircraft), |
The Slingsby Type 18 (T.18) Hengist was a British glider company Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. during the Second World War . The name comes from the legendary invader of Britain, Hengist , whose brother Horsa was also the namesake for a British cargo sailor, the Airspeed Horsa . (see also the designation system for aircraft used by the British armed forces )
development
The development of the British cargo gliders was a reaction to the use of German DFS 230 cargo gliders, which were first used with great success in May 1940 when the Belgian fortress of Fort Eben-Emael was conquered . Their advantage over the deployment of paratroopers was the ability to land entire task forces precisely in a given area, while the parachutists usually fell spread over a larger area.
The designer of the Hengist was John "Jack" Frost , who had previously worked for Airspeed , Miles Aircraft and Westland Aircraft ; he would later co-develop the De Havilland DH.103 Hornet and the De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito .
The Hengist Mk.I was commissioned in 1940 and first flew in January 1942 towing an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley . A special feature used by Frost on the Hengist was rubber padding for the landing.
The fuselage was recognizable by its curved top and bottom, while the side walls were flat.
Since other cargo sailors proved to be more suitable, the Hengist was never used. Only 18 copies were built.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 + 15 soldiers |
| length | 17.23 m or 18.04 m depending on the source |
| span | 24.40 m |
| height | 3.70 m |
| Wing area | 72.46 m 2 |
| maximum glide ratio | 14th |
| Empty mass | 2102 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 3791 kg |
| Towing speed | 208 km / h |
| Stall speed | 77 km / h |
literature
- Phil Jarrett: Nothing ventured… - Part 19 (Slingsby Hengist) . In: Airplane Monthly November 1991, pp. 656-661
- Derek Collier Webb: Silent Warriors - Tested & Failed (Series) . In: Airplane Monthly April 1997, pp. 12-17
Web links
- Slingsby Hengist ( Memento from October 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ^ Philip Jarrett, 1991, p. 661