| T.38 Grasshopper | |
|---|---|
_(35662991046).jpg) | |
| General information | |
| Type | Primary glider |
| Manufacturer | Slingsby Sailplanes Limited |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 115 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1952 |
| First flight | 1952 |
TheSlingsby T.38 Grasshopper is a Britishprimary trainingglider built bySlingsby Sailplanes for theRoyal Air Force.[1]
The design is based on the pre-World War II GermanSG 38 Schulgleiter, modified to use the wing design of theSlingsby T.7 Kirby Cadet glider.[1] The design was cheap to manufacture and was designed to be stored dismantled. The type was used byAir Training CorpsSquadrons between 1952 and the late 1980s.
The RAF designated the glider theGrasshopper TX.1, 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-shapedbungee 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 theEoN Eton.
Data from British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922-1970[2]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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