Collection

+11

‘Twin Plank’ tail-less glider VH-GST and drawings, designed by Todhunter and others built by Glidair Sailplanes, Bankstown, NSW, 1958,

Made by Glidair Sailplanes in Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia, 1958.

This glider was built at Bankstown, NSW, by Glidair Sailplanes, the first firm in Sydney to solely build and repair sailpanes. The tail-less flying wing glider was successfully test flown by Reginald Todhunter of Glidair Sailplanes in 1958 and in 1967 became the first tail-less glider to receive an Australian Certificate of Airworthiness. As well as Todhunter, the design team included Stephen Marton, Milton Lalas and Al Backstrom and the design was based on an American design known as EPB, after...

Summary

Object No.

B2422

Physical Description

Glider, two-seat tail-less flying wing, 'Twin Plank' VH-GST, and engineering drawings (63), wood / fabric / paper, designed and made by Reginald Todhunter, Glidair Sailplanes, Bankstown, NSW, Australia, 1958

'Twin Plank' glider and a collection of drawings and prints for its construction.

Tail-less, high-winged aircraft glider comprises an oval-shaped body and a rounded nose. The glider is made of wood and canvas with a perspex covered cockpit area on the roof and sides, which is hinged from the centre and can open upwards. The glider features cream painted wings with a red painted stripe at either end, a cream painted rear body and red painted nose. Underneath the body of the glider is a single landing wheel and on the top exterior is a metal reinforcement bar. The interior of the cockpit is blue painted metal with double seating side-by-side, two fabric harnesses, controls and dashboard.

Specifications:
Empty weight: 430lb (195 kg)
Wingspan: 35' 6" (10.8m)
Chord (width of wing): 5' (1.5m)
Fuselage length: 10' 9" (3.2m)
Glider ratio: 18:1
Sink rate: 3' 6"/sec (1m/sec)

Short URL

https://ma.as/212051

Production

Notes

The glider was designed by Reg Todhunter, Stephen Marton, Milton Lalas and Al Backstrom and it was built by Reginald Todhunter of Glidair Sailplanes at Bankstown in 1958. In 1967 it became the first fully approved tail-less sail plane to fly in Australia.

Made

Glidair Sailplanes 1958

Designed

Backstrom, Al null

History

Notes

The 'Twin Plank' glider was successfully test flown by Reginald Todhunter on May 31 and June 1, 1958 at Bankstown, NSW.

Used

Todhunter, Reginald 1958

Source

Credit Line

Gift of Reginald Todhunter, 1981

Acquisition Date

24 November 1981

Cite this Object

Harvard

'Twin Plank' tail-less glider VH-GST and drawings, designed by Todhunter and others built by Glidair Sailplanes, Bankstown, NSW, 1958, 2018, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 19 November 2018, <https://ma.as/212051>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/212051 |title='Twin Plank' tail-less glider VH-GST and drawings, designed by Todhunter and others built by Glidair Sailplanes, Bankstown, NSW, 1958, |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=19 November 2018 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}
This object is currently on display in Store 3 at the Museums Discovery Centre.
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Incomplete

This object record is currently incomplete. Other information may exist in a non-digital form. The Museum continues to update and add new research to collection records.

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