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Polish single-seat tail-less research glider, 1959
SZD 20x Wampir 2
|
|
Role
|
Glider
Type of aircraft
|
National origin
|
Poland
|
Manufacturer
|
PZL Bielsko
|
Designer
|
Jan Dyrek
|
First flight
|
9 September 1959
[1]
|
Number built
|
1
|
The
SZD-20x Wampir II
(
Szybowcowy Zakład Do?wiadczalny
- Glider Experimental Works) was a single-seat tail-less research glider designed and built in
Poland
from 1959.
Development
[
edit
]
The SZD-20X Wampir II (
vampire II
) was designed to compare a
flying wing
designed to Standard class rules with a more conventional standard class glider. Main designer was
Jan Dyrek
. Based on experience with the earlier
SZD-6X Nietoperz
and
SZD-13 Wampir
tail-less gliders, the SZD-20X was an all wood flying wing, with the pilot sitting in a pod extending aft of the trailing edge on the centreline, and large swept fins & rudders at approx 2/3 span on each wing.
The SZD-20X was associated with the number 15, having a 15m span, aspect ratio of 15 and wing area of 15m², whether this was by design or accident is not known.
[1]
Early flight trials commenced with hops towed behind a car to test control responses, followed by an aero-tow launch on 9 September 1959, piloted by
Adam Zientek
. Flight trials revealed a marked sensitivity to turbulence resulting in flutter, and during trials at stalling speed, the SZD-20X entered a spin, which the rudders were unable to recover the aircraft from, only when the pilot shifted his weight as far forward as he could, did the SZD-20X recover from the spin.
[1]
Flying in the SZD-20X continued until 6 October 1959, when turbulence-induced flutter tore the aircraft apart, the pilot escaping with parachute.
[1]
Specifications
[
edit
]
SZD-20X Wampir II
Data from
The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II
[1]
[2]
General characteristics
- Crew:
1
- Length:
6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan:
15 m (49 ft 3 in)
- Height:
1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
- Wing area:
15 m
2
(160 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio
:
15
- Airfoil
:
NACA 23112
- Empty weight:
171 kg (377 lb) equipped
- Gross weight:
268 kg (591 lb)
Performance
- Stall speed:
50 km/h (31 mph, 27 kn)
- Never exceed speed
:
200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn)
- Aerotow speed:
120 km/h (75 mph; 65 kn)
- g limits:
+4.5 -2 at 91 km/h (57 mph; 49 kn)
- Maximum glide ratio:
24.4 at 82 km/h (51 mph; 44 kn)
- Rate of sink:
0.84 m/s (165 ft/min) at 72 km/h (45 mph; 39 kn)
- Wing loading:
17.8 kg/m
2
(3.6 lb/sq ft)
See also
[
edit
]
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Pietchowski, Piotr.
"SZD-20x Wampir 2"
(in German). www.piotrp.de
. Retrieved
8 April
2013
.
- ^
Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson (1963).
The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II
(in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 34?36.
References
[
edit
]
- Pietchowski, Piotr.
"SZD-20x Wampir 2"
(in German). www.piotrp.de
. Retrieved
8 April
2013
.
- Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson (1963).
The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II
(in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 34?36.
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Taylor, J. H. (ed) (1989)
Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation
. Studio Editions: London. p. 29
External links
[
edit
]