226:
31:
175:
210:
system to detect aircraft largely constructed of wood. These tests carried out over the
English Channel were successful in showing that even gliders with very little metallic content could be detected, though the strength of return depended on how much metal was on board. After use by the Glider
149:
design with longer gulled wings and rounded fuselage formers skinned with plywood, resulting in the T.6 Kirby Kite. Later developments included spoilers to improve landing performance and an enlarged rudder which improved the harmony of the controls.
187:
The T.6 Kirby Kite was immediately in demand for competition and club flying, but their performance was soon overtaken by newer gliders. Production continued until 1939 totalling 25, of which one was exported to
145:
During the early 1930s there was a dearth of high-performance gliders that could be flown by relatively inexperienced pilots. To remedy this shortcoming Fred
Slingsby modified the
508:(in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 120–124.
488:(in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 120–124.
196:. One more was built from plans by Herman Kursawe in the USA. Almost all the Kirby Kites still flying at the outbreak of World War II were impressed into the
580:
165:, with a new 1° dihedral straight wings, the production of which is uncertain. The final iteration of the Slingsby Grunau Baby derivatives was the
161:
flew in
December 1945 but did not enter production due to the limited improvement in performance, but further development was planned, as the
1053:
286:
The final extrapolation, in 1946-7, of the Kite series with a completely different wing, enclosed cockpit and other detailed refinements.
1043:
549:
530:
573:
1058:
1038:
171:, which introduced an entirely new wing, an enclosed cockpit, straight tapered wings and other detailed improvements.
1048:
566:
348:
558:
242:
38:
1017:
1002:
897:
847:
721:
711:
621:
146:
113:
952:
937:
902:
892:
842:
837:
821:
731:
701:
691:
636:
631:
917:
912:
907:
661:
656:
646:
616:
215:. Eight Kirby Kites survive, one has new wings. Another is being built using some original parts.
992:
987:
982:
932:
766:
746:
736:
641:
247:
212:
50:
882:
686:
590:
545:
526:
73:
997:
977:
967:
927:
922:
857:
852:
801:
761:
751:
726:
706:
666:
611:
203:
Kirby Kites were also used, along with other types of glider, to assess the ability of the
957:
947:
877:
872:
696:
651:
606:
450:
281:
237:
197:
166:
1012:
887:
867:
806:
781:
741:
231:
1032:
1007:
972:
962:
862:
811:
796:
791:
776:
771:
756:
676:
671:
130:
126:
83:
30:
816:
716:
269:
189:
154:
157:, with a raised wing pylon, landing wheel and spoilers fitted as standard. The
786:
204:
506:
The World's
Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde
486:
The World's
Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde
278:
A planned development of the T.23, with a new straight wing with 1° dihedral.
134:
423:
154 ft/min (0.78 m/s) at 34 mph (55 km/h; 30 kn)
393:
193:
311:
The World's
Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde
357:
174:
207:
173:
562:
211:
Training
Schools the surviving Kirby Kites were passed to the
262:
the initial re-design of the Grunau Baby. Twenty-five built.
200:
for use as training aircraft for assault glider pilots.
544:(1st ed.). Shrewsbury: Airlife. pp. 162–167.
504:
Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958).
484:
Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958).
125:
was a single-seat sport glider produced from 1935, by
830:
597:
298:
As for the 2A, with air-brakes instead of spoilers.
178:Slingsby T.6 Kirby Kite BGA310 at Old Warden, 2013
153:Further re-design was carried out at the end of
574:
429:21 at 40 mph (64 km/h; 35 kn)
8:
581:
567:
559:
591:Slingsby Sailplanes and Slingsby Aviation
398:70 mph (113 km/h, 61 kn)
103:25 (+1 from plans in the United States)
467:
435:3.2 lb/sq ft (15.5 kg/m)
411:80 mph (130 km/h; 70 kn)
405:97 mph (156 km/h; 84 kn)
389:31 mph (50 km/h, 27 kn)
20:
7:
368:310 lb (140.5 kg) equipped
344:156.0 sq ft (14.49 m)
292:Modified wash-out at the wing-tips.
338:46 ft 7 in (14.2 m)
14:
332:20 ft 4 in (6.2 m)
224:
29:
16:British single-seat glider, 1935
525:. London: A & C Black Ltd.
523:British Gliders and Sailplanes
1:
268:Improved T.6 developed after
1054:Aircraft first flown in 1935
123:Slingsby T.6/T.23 Kirby Kite
374:495 lb (224.5 kg)
303:Specifications (T.6 Kite 1)
243:No 1 Glider Training School
192:, one to Canada and one to
114:Slingsby T.5 Grunau Baby II
1075:
37:
28:
23:
1044:1930s British sailplanes
521:Ellison, Norman (1971).
540:Simons, Martin (1996).
474:Kirby Kite owners club.
317:General characteristics
39:Shuttleworth Collection
179:
141:Design and development
1059:Parasol-wing aircraft
589:Aircraft produced by
177:
24:T.6/T.23 Kirby Kite
542:Slingsby Sailplanes
409:Winch launch speed:
372:Max takeoff weight:
74:Slingsby Sailplanes
1039:Gull-wing aircraft
394:Never exceed speed
248:Air Training Corps
213:Air Training Corps
180:
41:'s T.6 Kirby Kite
1049:Slingsby aircraft
1026:
1025:
817:T.66 Tipsy Nipper
712:T.31 Tandem Tutor
662:T.15 Kirby Gull 1
657:T.14 Kirby Gull 1
647:T.12 Kirby Gull 1
119:
118:
1066:
782:T.55 Regal Eagle
732:T.38 Grasshopper
702:T.29 Motor Tutor
583:
576:
569:
560:
555:
536:
509:
490:
489:
481:
475:
472:
382:
319:
230:
228:
227:
110:
100:
62:
54:Type of aircraft
33:
21:
1074:
1073:
1069:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1063:
1029:
1028:
1027:
1022:
826:
787:T.56 Currie Wot
637:T.8 Kirby Tutor
632:T.7 Kirby Cadet
622:T.5 Grunau Baby
599:
593:
587:
552:
539:
533:
520:
517:
515:Further reading
512:
503:
499:
494:
493:
483:
482:
478:
473:
469:
464:
459:
451:List of gliders
442:
399:
378:
315:
305:
256:
238:Royal Air Force
225:
223:
221:
198:Royal Air Force
185:
143:
108:
98:
65:United Kingdom
61:National origin
60:
55:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1072:
1070:
1062:
1061:
1056:
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1023:
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970:
965:
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935:
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870:
865:
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845:
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828:
827:
825:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
774:
769:
767:T.50 Skylark 4
764:
759:
754:
749:
747:T.43 Skylark 3
744:
739:
737:T.41 Skylark 2
734:
729:
724:
719:
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709:
704:
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689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
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629:
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619:
617:T.4 Falcon III
614:
609:
603:
601:
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586:
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578:
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563:
557:
556:
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532:0 7136 1189 8
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438:
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430:
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418:
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406:
403:Aerotow speed:
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376:
375:
369:
363:
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327:
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232:United Kingdom
220:
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117:
116:
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109:Developed from
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95:
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91:
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81:
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35:
34:
26:
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3:
2:
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844:
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839:
836:
835:
833:
829:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
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808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
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783:
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778:
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770:
768:
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763:
760:
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755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
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723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
687:T.24 Falcon 4
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
648:
645:
643:
642:T.9 King Kite
640:
638:
635:
633:
630:
628:
625:
623:
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
608:
605:
604:
602:
596:
592:
584:
579:
577:
572:
570:
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564:
561:
553:
551:1 85310 732 8
547:
543:
538:
534:
528:
524:
519:
518:
514:
507:
502:
501:
496:
487:
480:
477:
471:
468:
461:
456:
452:
449:
448:
447:
446:
445:Related lists
439:
434:
433:Wing loading:
431:
428:
427:Lift-to-drag:
425:
422:
421:Rate of sink:
419:
416:
413:
410:
407:
404:
401:
397:
395:
391:
388:
385:
384:
383:
381:
373:
370:
367:
366:Empty weight:
364:
362:Göttingen 535
361:
359:
355:
352:
350:
346:
343:
340:
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
321:
320:
318:
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309:
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297:
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234:
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218:
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209:
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199:
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191:
182:
176:
172:
170:
169:
164:
160:
156:
151:
148:
140:
138:
136:
132:
131:Kirbymoorside
128:
127:Fred Slingsby
124:
115:
112:
107:
106:
102:
97:
96:
92:
90:First flight
89:
88:
85:
84:Fred Slingsby
82:
79:
78:
75:
72:
70:Manufacturer
69:
68:
64:
59:
58:
52:
48:
45:
44:
40:
36:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1003:Tandem Tutor
948:Kirby Kite 2
943:Kirby Kite 1
942:
822:T.67 Firefly
802:T.59 Kestrel
762:T.49 Capstan
752:T.45 Swallow
727:T.37 Skylark
722:T.35 Austral
707:T.30 Prefect
681:
667:T.18 Hengist
626:
600:designations
598:Manufacturer
541:
522:
505:
497:Bibliography
485:
479:
470:
444:
443:
432:
426:
420:
414:
408:
402:
392:
387:Stall speed:
386:
379:
377:
371:
365:
356:
349:Aspect ratio
347:
341:
335:
329:
323:
316:
314:
310:
307:
306:
295:T.26 Kite 2B
289:T.26 Kite 2A
272:. One built.
270:World War II
265:T.23 Kite 1A
222:
202:
190:South Africa
186:
167:
162:
159:T.23 Kite 1A
158:
155:World War II
152:
144:
122:
120:
99:Number built
93:August 1935
18:
953:Kirby Tutor
938:Kirby Cadet
903:Grasshopper
898:Grunau Baby
697:T.26 Kite 2
692:T.25 Gull 4
652:T.13 Petrel
612:T.3 Primary
380:Performance
282:T.26 Kite 2
168:T.26 Kite 2
147:Grunau Baby
1033:Categories
908:Kirby Gull
848:Cadet TX.3
843:Cadet TX.2
838:Cadet TX.1
807:T.61 Falke
742:T.42 Eagle
607:T.1 Falcon
457:References
342:Wing area:
205:Chain Home
993:Skylark 4
988:Skylark 3
983:Skylark 2
978:Skylark 1
933:King Kite
878:Falcon II
812:T.65 Vega
772:T.51 Dart
682:T.23 Kite
415:g limits:
336:Wingspan:
308:Data from
219:Operators
135:Yorkshire
80:Designer
973:Sedbergh
883:Falcon 4
873:Falcon I
717:T.34 Sky
627:T.6 Kite
440:See also
275:Type 23A
259:T.6 Kite
254:Variants
194:Rhodesia
163:Type 23A
1018:V-Liner
1013:Venture
998:Swallow
968:Prefect
963:Phoenix
928:Kestrel
923:Hengist
893:Firefly
858:Dagling
853:Capstan
831:By name
358:Airfoil
330:Length:
183:History
958:Petrel
918:Gull 3
913:Gull 2
548:
529:
229:
51:Glider
49:Sport
888:Falke
868:Eagle
462:Notes
324:Crew:
208:radar
46:Role
1008:Vega
863:Dart
797:T.58
792:T.57
777:T.53
757:T.46
677:T.21
672:T.20
546:ISBN
527:ISBN
121:The
129:in
1035::
417:+6
353:13
137:.
133:,
582:e
575:t
568:v
554:.
535:.
396::
360::
351::
326:1
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
