Slingsby Hengist

infobox Aircraft
name = Slingsby Hengist
type = Troop-carrying glider
manufacturer = Slingsby Sailplanes


caption =
designer = John Frost
first flight =January 1942
introduced =
retired =
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 18
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Slingsby Hengist was a British military glider designed and built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd in the Second World War. It took its name from the legendary Jutish invader of Britain, Hengist. His brother Horsa gave his name to another glider.

History

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 successfully land assault troops on the Eben Emael fort in Belgium. [Simons 1996, p.99.] Their advantage compared to parachute assault was that the troops were landed together in one place, rather than being dispersed.

The Hengist was designed by John "Jack" Frost who had worked with Airspeed Ltd, Miles Aircraft and Westland Aircraft and later worked on the De Havilland Hornet and De Havilland Mosquito.

The Hengist was a 15 seat glider, and suffered from structural problems which prevented it from playing much of a role in the Second World War. Only 18 were built.

The Hengist Mk I was ordered in 1940 and first flew, towed by an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, in January 1942. One of Frost's unique design touches was to fit the Hengist with a rubber bag as a landing device.

The aircraft was notable for its curved upper and lower surfaces, with flat sides.

Combat History

There is no record of the Hengist being used in combat as other glider types overtook them in functionality.

pecifications (Mk.I)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=neither

ref= [Simons 1996, p.101.]
crew=1
capacity=14
length main=56.5 ft
length alt=17.22 m
span main=80 ft
span alt=24.38 m
height main=
height alt=
area main=780 ft²
area alt=72.46 m²
airfoil=NACA 2415 (root), NACA 4412 (tip)
empty weight main=4629 lb
empty weight alt=2100 kg
loaded weight main=8350 lb
loaded weight alt=3790 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
max speed main=130 mph on tow
max speed alt=
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=10.7 lb/sq ft
loading alt=52.3 kg/sq m
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=
* Waco CG-4A
* General Aircraft Hamilcar
* Airspeed Horsa
* General Aircraft Hotspur
* DFS 230
* Gotha Go 242
sequence=

lists=
* List of aircraft of the RAF
* List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps
* List of aircraft of the British, World War II
* List of gliders
see also=

References

* Simons, Martin , "Slingsby Sailplanes", Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing Ltd. 1996. ISBN 1-85310-732-8

External links

* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/SLINGSBY%20T18%20HENGIST.htm Slingsby Hengist]