The Slingsby Hengist was a British military glider designed and built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. Like other British troop carrying gliders in the Second World War, it was named after military figures whose name began with H, in this case the Jute invader Hengist.
The use of assault gliders by the British was prompted by the use by Germany of the DFS 230 transport glider, which was first used in May 1940 to land assault troops on the Eben Emael fort in Belgium.[1] Their advantage compared to parachute assault was that the troops landed in one place, rather than being dispersed.
The Slingsby T.18 Hengist was designed by John "Jack" Frost. It was a 15-seat glider designed to meet Specification X.25/40 (in accordance to O.R.98), issued in February 1941. The specification was issued in case sufficiently powerful tugs were not available for the larger Airspeed Horsa.[2] Four prototypes were ordered in late 1940, the first prototype DG570 flying in January 1942, towed by an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley.[3]
A total of 14 production Hengist Mk I were delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF) between February 1943 and March 1944. One of Frost's unique[citation needed] design touches was to fit the Hengist with a rubber bag as a landing device. A strengthened undercarriage was used on the production aircraft and was called the Mk III, but this name was not carried over to the RAF.[3]
The Hengist had a distinctive appearance with curved upper and lower surfaces and a flat sided fuselage.
Operational history
Two Hengist Mk Is were delivered to the Glider Pilots' Exercise Unit while others were issued to experimental units or remained in storage. Production was halted when Waco Hadrian gliders became available under lease-lend.[2] As a back-up type, it saw no operational service and was phased out of service in 1946.[3]
Specifications (Hengist Mk I)
Data from Slingsby Sailplanes,[4] British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922–1970[5]
^Ellison, Norman (1971). British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922–1970 (1st ed.). London: Adam & Charles Black. p. 188. ISBN0-7136-1189-8.
Bibliography
Bishop, Chris. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships and Submarines. New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2002. ISBN1-58663-762-2.
Brown, Robert G. On the Edge: Personal Flying Experiences During the Second World War. Renfrew, Ontario, Canada: General Store Publishing House, 1999. ISBN978-1-896182-87-2.
Ellison, Norman. British Gliders and Sailplanes. London: A & C Black ltd, 1971. ISBN0713611898.
Flint, Keith. Airborne Armour: Tetrarch, Locust, Hamilcar and the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment 1938–1950. Solihull, W. Midlands, UK: Helion & Company Ltd, 2006. ISBN1-874622-37-X.
Lynch, Tim. Silent Skies: Gliders At War 1939–1945. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Military, 2008. ISBN0-7503-0633-5.
March, Daniel J. British Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1998. ISBN1-874023-92-1.
Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 2002. ISBN1-85152-668-4.
Munson, Kenneth. Aircraft of World War II. New York: Doubleday and Company, 1972. ISBN0-385-07122-1.
Otway, Lieutenant-Colonel T.B.H. The Second World War 1939–1945 Army: Airborne Forces. London: Imperial War Museum, 1990. ISBN0-901627-57-7.
Smith, Claude. History of the Glider Pilot Regiment. London: Pen & Sword Aviation, 1992. ISBN1-84415-626-5.
Swanborough, Gordon. British Aircraft at War, 1939–1945. East Sussex, UK: HPC Publishing, 1997. ISBN0-9531421-0-8.
Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57. London: Putnam, 1968. ISBN0-370-00101-X.
January 30, 2023
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The Slingsby Hengist was a British military glider designed and built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd Like other British troop carrying gliders in the Second World War it was named after military figures whose name began with H in this case the Jute invader Hengist Slingsby HengistSlingsby T 18 Hengist Mark I DG676 on tow while with the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment based at Sherburn in Elmet Yorkshire 25 April 1943Role Troop carrying gliderManufacturer Slingsby SailplanesDesigner John FrostFirst flight January 1942Retired 1946Produced 1942 1944Number built 18 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications Hengist Mk I 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 BibliographyDesign and development EditThe use of assault gliders by the British was prompted by the use by Germany of the DFS 230 transport glider which was first used in May 1940 to land assault troops on the Eben Emael fort in Belgium 1 Their advantage compared to parachute assault was that the troops landed in one place rather than being dispersed The Slingsby T 18 Hengist was designed by John Jack Frost It was a 15 seat glider designed to meet Specification X 25 40 in accordance to O R 98 issued in February 1941 The specification was issued in case sufficiently powerful tugs were not available for the larger Airspeed Horsa 2 Four prototypes were ordered in late 1940 the first prototype DG570 flying in January 1942 towed by an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley 3 A total of 14 production Hengist Mk I were delivered to the Royal Air Force RAF between February 1943 and March 1944 One of Frost s unique citation needed design touches was to fit the Hengist with a rubber bag as a landing device A strengthened undercarriage was used on the production aircraft and was called the Mk III but this name was not carried over to the RAF 3 The Hengist had a distinctive appearance with curved upper and lower surfaces and a flat sided fuselage Operational history EditTwo Hengist Mk Is were delivered to the Glider Pilots Exercise Unit while others were issued to experimental units or remained in storage Production was halted when Waco Hadrian gliders became available under lease lend 2 As a back up type it saw no operational service and was phased out of service in 1946 3 Specifications Hengist Mk I EditData from Slingsby Sailplanes 4 British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922 1970 5 General characteristicsCrew 1 Capacity 14 Length 56 ft 6 in 17 22 m Wingspan 80 ft 0 in 24 38 m Wing area 780 0 sq ft 72 46 m2 Aspect ratio 8 2 Airfoil NACA 2415 root NACA 4412 tip Empty weight 4 630 lb 2 100 kg Gross weight 8 351 lb 3 788 kg Performance Stall speed 48 mph 77 km h 42 kn Towing speed 130 mph 209 km h Lift to drag 14 1 Wing loading 10 7 lb sq ft 52 3 kg m2 See also EditAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Airspeed Horsa DFS 230 General Aircraft Hamilcar General Aircraft Hotspur Gotha Go 242 Waco CG 4ARelated lists List of aircraft of World War II List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps United Kingdom List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force List of aircraft of the United Kingdom in World War II List of World War II military glidersReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slingsby Hengist Notes Edit Simons 1996 p 99 a b Ellison 1971 p 188 a b c Swanborough 1997 p 89 Simons 1996 p 101 Ellison Norman 1971 British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922 1970 1st ed London Adam amp Charles Black p 188 ISBN 0 7136 1189 8 Bibliography Edit Bishop Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1 500 Weapons Systems Including Tanks Small Arms Warplanes Artillery Ships and Submarines New York Sterling Publishing Company Inc 2002 ISBN 1 58663 762 2 Brown Robert G On the Edge Personal Flying Experiences During the Second World War Renfrew Ontario Canada General Store Publishing House 1999 ISBN 978 1 896182 87 2 Ellison Norman British Gliders and Sailplanes London A amp C Black ltd 1971 ISBN 0713611898 Flint Keith Airborne Armour Tetrarch Locust Hamilcar and the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment 1938 1950 Solihull W Midlands UK Helion amp Company Ltd 2006 ISBN 1 874622 37 X Lynch Tim Silent Skies Gliders At War 1939 1945 Barnsley UK Pen amp Sword Military 2008 ISBN 0 7503 0633 5 March Daniel J British Warplanes of World War II London Aerospace Publishing 1998 ISBN 1 874023 92 1 Mondey David The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II London Chancellor Press 2002 ISBN 1 85152 668 4 Munson Kenneth Aircraft of World War II New York Doubleday and Company 1972 ISBN 0 385 07122 1 Otway Lieutenant Colonel T B H The Second World War 1939 1945 Army Airborne Forces London Imperial War Museum 1990 ISBN 0 901627 57 7 Simons Martin Slingsby Sailplanes London Airlife Publishing Ltd 1996 ISBN 1 85310 732 8 Smith Claude History of the Glider Pilot Regiment London Pen amp Sword Aviation 1992 ISBN 1 84415 626 5 Swanborough Gordon British Aircraft at War 1939 1945 East Sussex UK HPC Publishing 1997 ISBN 0 9531421 0 8 Thetford Owen Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918 57 London Putnam 1968 ISBN 0 370 00101 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Slingsby Hengist amp oldid 1070120129, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
