Slingsby T38 Grasshopper

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=T38 Grasshopper


caption=
type=Primary glider
manufacturer=Slingsby Sailplanes Limited
designer=
first flight=1952
introduced=1952
retired=
status=
primary user=Royal Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=115
variants with their own articles=

The Slingbsy T38 Grasshopper is a British primary training glider built by Slingsby Aviation for the Royal Air Force

Development

The design is based on a pre World War II German design modified to use the wing design of the Slingsby Cadet MkI glider. The design is cheap to manufacture and is designed to be stored dismantled. The type was used by Air Training Corps Squadrons between 1952 and the late 1980's.

The RAF designated the glider the Grasshopper TX1 and the first order was for 65 aircraft which were delivered in 1952 and 1953. It was later followed by two further orders for an additional 50 aircraft, the final delivery was made in 1963.

Launch is achieved through the use of a V shaped bungee or elastic rope pulled by a team of helpers. The glider can also be mounted on a pivoting tripod pointed into wind for the demonstration of controls.

The Grasshopper is virtually identical to the EoN Eton.

Operators

;UK
*Royal Air Force

pecifications (Grasshopper TX1)

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crew=1
capacity=
length m=6.3
length ft=20
length in=8
span m=11.89
span ft=39
span in=0
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height m=2.43
height ft=7
height in=11
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empty weight kg=130
empty weight lb=287
gross weight kg=250
gross weight lb=550
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max speed kmh=130
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aircontent
see also=
*Air Training Corps
related=
similar aircraft=
sequence=
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* List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force