During the early 1930s there was a dearth of high-performance gliders that could be flown by relatively inexperienced pilots. To remedy this shortcoming Fred Slingsby modified the Grunau Baby design with longer gulled wings and rounded fuselage formers skinned with plywood, resulting in the T.6 Kirby Kite. Later developments included spoilers to improve landing performance and an enlarged rudder which improved the harmony of the controls.
Further re-design was carried out at the end of World War II, with a raised wing pylon, landing wheel and spoilers fitted as standard. The T.23 Kite 1A flew in December 1945 but did not enter production due to the limited improvement in performance, but further development was planned, as the Type 23A, with a new 1° dihedral straight wings, the production of which is uncertain. The final iteration of the Slingsby Grunau Baby derivatives was the T.26 Kite 2, which introduced an entirely new wing, an enclosed cockpit, straight tapered wings and other detailed improvements.
Slingsby T.6 Kirby Kite BGA310 at Old Warden, 2013
Historyedit
The T.6 Kirby Kite was immediately in demand for competition and club flying, but their performance was soon overtaken by newer gliders. Production continued until 1939 totalling 25, of which one was exported to South Africa, one to Canada and one to Rhodesia. One more was built from plans by Herman Kursawe in the USA. Almost all the Kirby Kites still flying at the outbreak of World War II were impressed into the Royal Air Force for use as training aircraft for assault glider pilots.
Kirby Kites were also used, along with other types of glider, to assess the ability of the Chain Homeradar system to detect aircraft largely constructed of wood. These tests carried out over the English Channel were successful in showing that even gliders with very little metallic content could be detected, though the strength of return depended on how much metal was on board. After use by the Glider Training Schools the surviving Kirby Kites were passed to the Air Training Corps. Eight Kirby Kites survive, one has new wings. Another is being built using some original parts.[1]
^Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde (in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 120–124.
Bibliographyedit
Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde (in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 120–124.
Further readingedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slingsby Kite.
Ellison, Norman (1971). British Gliders and Sailplanes. London: A & C Black Ltd. ISBN0 7136 1189 8.
Simons, Martin (1996). Slingsby Sailplanes (1st ed.). Shrewsbury: Airlife. pp. 162–167. ISBN1 85310 732 8.
January 01, 1970
slingsby, kite, slingsby, kirby, kite, single, seat, sport, glider, produced, from, 1935, fred, slingsby, kirbymoorside, yorkshire, kirby, kite, shuttleworth, collection, kirby, kite, role, sport, glider, national, origin, united, kingdom, manufacturer, slings. The Slingsby T 6 T 23 Kirby Kite was a single seat sport glider produced from 1935 by Fred Slingsby in Kirbymoorside Yorkshire T 6 T 23 Kirby Kite Shuttleworth Collection s T 6 Kirby Kite Role Sport Glider National origin United Kingdom Manufacturer Slingsby Sailplanes Designer Fred Slingsby First flight August 1935 Number built 25 1 from plans in the United States Developed from Slingsby T 5 Grunau Baby II Contents 1 Design and development 2 History 3 Operators 4 Variants 5 Specifications T 6 Kite 1 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Notes 7 2 Bibliography 8 Further readingDesign and development editDuring the early 1930s there was a dearth of high performance gliders that could be flown by relatively inexperienced pilots To remedy this shortcoming Fred Slingsby modified the Grunau Baby design with longer gulled wings and rounded fuselage formers skinned with plywood resulting in the T 6 Kirby Kite Later developments included spoilers to improve landing performance and an enlarged rudder which improved the harmony of the controls Further re design was carried out at the end of World War II with a raised wing pylon landing wheel and spoilers fitted as standard The T 23 Kite 1A flew in December 1945 but did not enter production due to the limited improvement in performance but further development was planned as the Type 23A with a new 1 dihedral straight wings the production of which is uncertain The final iteration of the Slingsby Grunau Baby derivatives was the T 26 Kite 2 which introduced an entirely new wing an enclosed cockpit straight tapered wings and other detailed improvements nbsp Slingsby T 6 Kirby Kite BGA310 at Old Warden 2013History editThe T 6 Kirby Kite was immediately in demand for competition and club flying but their performance was soon overtaken by newer gliders Production continued until 1939 totalling 25 of which one was exported to South Africa one to Canada and one to Rhodesia One more was built from plans by Herman Kursawe in the USA Almost all the Kirby Kites still flying at the outbreak of World War II were impressed into the Royal Air Force for use as training aircraft for assault glider pilots Kirby Kites were also used along with other types of glider to assess the ability of the Chain Home radar system to detect aircraft largely constructed of wood These tests carried out over the English Channel were successful in showing that even gliders with very little metallic content could be detected though the strength of return depended on how much metal was on board After use by the Glider Training Schools the surviving Kirby Kites were passed to the Air Training Corps Eight Kirby Kites survive one has new wings Another is being built using some original parts 1 Operators edit nbsp United Kingdom Royal Air Force No 1 Glider Training School Air Training CorpsVariants editT 6 Kite the initial re design of the Grunau Baby Twenty five built T 23 Kite 1A Improved T 6 developed after World War II One built Type 23A A planned development of the T 23 with a new straight wing with 1 dihedral T 26 Kite 2 The final extrapolation in 1946 7 of the Kite series with a completely different wing enclosed cockpit and other detailed refinements T 26 Kite 2A Modified wash out at the wing tips T 26 Kite 2B As for the 2A with air brakes instead of spoilers Specifications T 6 Kite 1 editData from The World s Sailplanes Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt Les Planeurs du Monde 2 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 20 ft 4 in 6 2 m Wingspan 46 ft 7 in 14 2 m Wing area 156 0 sq ft 14 49 m2 Aspect ratio 13 Airfoil Gottingen 535 Empty weight 310 lb 140 5 kg equipped Max takeoff weight 495 lb 224 5 kg Performance Stall speed 31 mph 50 km h 27 kn Never exceed speed 70 mph 113 km h 61 kn Aerotow speed 97 mph 156 km h 84 kn Winch launch speed 80 mph 130 km h 70 kn g limits 6 Rate of sink 154 ft min 0 78 m s at 34 mph 55 km h 30 kn Lift to drag 21 at 40 mph 64 km h 35 kn Wing loading 3 2 lb sq ft 15 5 kg m2 See also editRelated lists List of glidersReferences editNotes edit Kirby Kite owners club Shenstone B S K G Wilkinson Peter Brooks 1958 The World s Sailplanes Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt Les Planeurs dans Le Monde in English French and German 1st ed Zurich Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile OSTIV and Schweizer Aero Revue pp 120 124 Bibliography edit Shenstone B S K G Wilkinson Peter Brooks 1958 The World s Sailplanes Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt Les Planeurs dans Le Monde in English French and German 1st ed Zurich Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile OSTIV and Schweizer Aero Revue pp 120 124 Further reading edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slingsby Kite Ellison Norman 1971 British Gliders and Sailplanes London A amp C Black Ltd ISBN 0 7136 1189 8 Simons Martin 1996 Slingsby Sailplanes 1st ed Shrewsbury Airlife pp 162 167 ISBN 1 85310 732 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Slingsby Kite amp oldid 1191144404, 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