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‘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.Summary
Object No.
B2422Object Statement
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, 1958Physical 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/212051Production
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 1958Designed
Backstrom, Al nullHistory
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 1958Source
Credit Line
Gift of Reginald Todhunter, 1981Acquisition Date
24 November 1981Cite 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 18 January 2019, <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=18 January 2019 |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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