138:, with a single piece perspex canopy hinged on the starboard side. It is placed immediately in front of the leading edge of the wing and the fuselage neck on which the wing is mounted. Behind the cockpit the fuselage is a semi-monocoque structure, with a stress bearing 1/16 in (1.6 mm) plywood skin formed over light frames positioned by three longitudinal stringers. There is additional strengthening around the wheel bay, where the single wheel has its axle held clear of the fuselage by small triangular pieces. An ash skid is mounted away from the fuselage, running forward to the nose. The wheel brake is applied at the greatest air brake extension. As a weight saving alternative to the mono-wheel, a jettisonable two wheel dolly can be used for take-off. Another ash skid at the rear forms a bumper. The tail unit was initially identical to that of the Gull IV: the tailplane has a ply covered leading edge and fabric behind, mounted forward of the ply covered fin so that the rudder hinge is in line with the trailing edge of the single piece, fabric covered elevator. The latter carries trim tabs.
131:
in the inner part and a 2 in (51 mm) increase in rib separation outboard. The Sky was designed to meet semi-aerobatic requirements which together with an aspect ratio of 18.7, which was high for the time, required the single box spars, 6 in (152 mm) wide at their greatest, to be massive. Their weight is 25% of that of the whole aircraft. The wing ahead of this spar, positioned at 30% chord, forms a plywood covered torsion box. Behind it, the wing is fabric covered. Ailerons, divided to allow for wing flexure, fill the tapered trailing edges. Air brakes are mounted on the spars as aerodynamically balanced pairs above and below wing; the lower panel open into the airstream and lever the upper ones against it. There were no flaps.
31:
130:
The Sky is a wooden aircraft, using the traditional spruce for stressed members and birch ply elsewhere. Its wing has a constant chord inner section over the first 30% of span, then tapers on both edges to a rounded tip. The 20% increase in span over the Gull IV was achieved with two extra rib bays
141:
The Sky first flew in
September 1950. Trials led to readjustment of the centre of gravity and the replacement of the Gull IV rudder with an aerodynamically balanced one of greater chord. The airbrakes were also increased in area and their linkage revised to ensure the Sky did not exceed its design
173:
in Spain. Eight Skys were entered, five by the
British team, two by Argentina and one by the Netherlands. One British Sky was forced to retire after the first day, but Final placings put all seven remaining Skys in the top fourteen out of thirty-nine, and they claimed first, third and fourth
127:, the Gull's successor would need a span of 18 m or more. Consequently, the Sky was aerodynamically identical to the Gull IV apart from span (and hence aspect ratio) and length, though it differed in construction. It dominated the 1952 Contests and was well placed in both 1954 and 1956.
145:
Slingsby designed an improved version of the Sky, designated Type 34B Sky 2 for the 1954 World
Competition, but did not build it. It would have had laminar flow wings with square tips and a revised, squared off tail.
656:(in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 115–120.
596:(in English, French, and German) (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 115–120.
709:
219:
Designed for the 1954 World
Championships, the Sky 2 featured NACA 5-figure aerofoil sections, with square cut wing-tips and tail unit, but was not built.
1177:
119:
The single seat
Slingsby Sky resulted from Slingsby's experience at the 1948 International Gliding Contests, where they flew their 15 m span
185:
in France in 1955 by Hans
Nietlispach, a distance of 536.2 km (333.2 mi) which still stands as the Swiss straight line record.
1167:
678:
642:
702:
254:
25 ft 4.6 in (7.738 m) . Before the rudder alterations, the length was 24 ft 10.8 in (7.590 m)
1182:
166:
108:
1172:
695:
270:
134:
The cockpit of the Sky is of standard
Slingsby design and built on the same jigs as those used on the Gull IV and
687:
213:
Sixteen aircraft built ostensibly to compete in World
Gliding championships of the late 1940s and early 1950s.
193:
Sixteen Skys were built; of these, six still fly in the UK, including the Swiss record holder, and one in the
1146:
198:
1131:
1026:
976:
850:
840:
750:
518:
504:
490:
473:
459:
430:
1081:
1066:
1031:
1021:
971:
966:
950:
860:
830:
820:
765:
760:
162:
120:
1046:
1041:
1036:
790:
785:
775:
745:
543:
174:
places. Skys continued to do well in later
Championships, with second place in both 1954 and 1956.
155:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1061:
895:
875:
865:
770:
104:
42:
1011:
815:
719:
674:
638:
65:
1126:
1106:
1096:
1056:
1051:
986:
981:
930:
890:
880:
855:
835:
795:
740:
532:
1086:
1076:
1006:
1001:
825:
780:
735:
400:
1141:
1016:
996:
935:
910:
870:
234:, p. 203, The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde
161:
The first two Skys had immediate success in 1951 in the
English championships held at
1161:
1136:
1101:
1091:
1071:
991:
940:
925:
920:
905:
900:
885:
810:
805:
800:
755:
135:
107:
built in the United Kingdom. It was successful in major events, particularly in the
197:; two others are under restoration. One Sky (EC-RAT) is a non-flying exhibit in the
945:
285:
142:
terminal speed in dives, and to make the brakes easier to close at higher speeds.
391:
194:
365:
120 ft/min (0.61 m/s) at 33.5 kn (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph)
123:. This convinced them that to be competitive against aircraft like the German
915:
182:
654:
The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde
594:
The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs dans Le Monde
386:
124:
165:, coming in first and second. More significant was their dominance of the
30:
323:
279:
170:
178:
691:
569:
628:. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd.
580:
353:+5 -2.5 at 61.5 kn (113.9 km/h; 70.8 mph)
673:(1st ed.). Shrewsbury: Airlife. pp. 162–167.
652:
Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958).
592:
Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson; Peter Brooks (1958).
359:
1:27.5 at 37.5 kn (69.5 km/h; 43.2 mph)
959:
726:
381:
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
66:
Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd., Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire
154:The prototype Sky was one of the exhibits at the
103:is a high performance single seat competition
703:
8:
341:56 kn (103.7 km/h; 64.4 mph)
335:72 kn (133.3 km/h; 82.9 mph)
177:A Swiss Sky was flown across the Alps from
710:
696:
688:
443:
441:
347:44 kn (81.5 km/h; 50.6 mph)
720:Slingsby Sailplanes and Slingsby Aviation
486:
484:
426:
424:
422:
420:
328:98 kn (113 mph, 182 km/h)
606:
626:Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956-57
554:
447:
416:
371:4.3 lb/sq ft (20.9 kg/m)
231:
319:29 kn (34 mph, 54 km/h)
20:
565:
563:
7:
266:187.0 sq ft (17.37 m)
260:59 ft 1 in (18.00 m)
14:
29:
16:British single-seat glider, 1950
637:. London: A & C Black Ltd.
635:British Gliders and Sailplanes
1:
1178:Aircraft first flown in 1950
304:800 lb (362.9 kg)
298:550 lb (249.5 kg)
169:held the following year at
167:World Gliding Championships
109:World Gliding Championships
1199:
624:Bridgman, Leonard (1956).
28:
23:
1168:1950s British sailplanes
633:Ellison, Norman (1971).
434:14 September 1951 p.356
41:Single seat competition
669:Simons, Martin (1996).
284:Göttingen 549 at root,
239:General characteristics
199:Museo del Aire (Spain)
115:Design and development
718:Aircraft produced by
508:13 August 1954 p.214
533:Nietlispach's flight
463:3 August 1951 p.156
357:Maximum glide ratio:
333:Rough air speed max:
163:Camphill, Derbyshire
101:Slingsby Type 34 Sky
671:Slingsby Sailplanes
522:20 July 1956 p.122
345:Winch launch speed:
302:Max takeoff weight:
156:Festival of Britain
150:Operational history
1183:High-wing aircraft
494:25 July 1952 p.87
477:11 July 1952 p.31
324:Never exceed speed
158:held in May 1951.
1173:Slingsby aircraft
1155:
1154:
946:T.66 Tipsy Nipper
841:T.31 Tandem Tutor
791:T.15 Kirby Gull 1
786:T.14 Kirby Gull 1
776:T.12 Kirby Gull 1
97:
96:
1190:
911:T.55 Regal Eagle
861:T.38 Grasshopper
831:T.29 Motor Tutor
712:
705:
698:
689:
684:
657:
648:
629:
610:
604:
598:
597:
589:
583:
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510:
502:
496:
488:
479:
471:
465:
457:
451:
445:
436:
428:
312:
241:
90:
54:
46:Type of aircraft
33:
21:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1187:
1158:
1157:
1156:
1151:
955:
916:T.56 Currie Wot
766:T.8 Kirby Tutor
761:T.7 Kirby Cadet
751:T.5 Grunau Baby
728:
722:
716:
681:
668:
665:
663:Further reading
660:
651:
645:
632:
623:
619:
614:
613:
605:
601:
591:
590:
586:
579:
575:
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531:
527:
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513:
503:
499:
489:
482:
472:
468:
458:
454:
446:
439:
429:
418:
413:
408:
401:List of gliders
378:
329:
308:
289:
237:
226:
207:
191:
152:
117:
88:
83:September 1950
75:F. N. Slingsby
57:United Kingdom
53:National origin
52:
47:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1024:
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989:
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979:
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957:
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954:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
896:T.50 Skylark 4
893:
888:
883:
878:
876:T.43 Skylark 3
873:
868:
866:T.41 Skylark 2
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
746:T.4 Falcon III
743:
738:
732:
730:
724:
723:
717:
715:
714:
707:
700:
692:
686:
685:
679:
664:
661:
659:
658:
649:
643:
630:
620:
618:
615:
612:
611:
599:
584:
581:Museo del Aire
573:
559:
547:
536:
525:
511:
497:
480:
466:
452:
437:
415:
414:
412:
409:
407:
404:
395:
394:
389:
377:
374:
373:
372:
366:
360:
354:
348:
342:
339:Aerotow speed:
336:
330:
320:
306:
305:
299:
293:
287:
276:
267:
261:
255:
249:
225:
224:Specifications
222:
221:
220:
217:
214:
211:
206:
203:
190:
187:
151:
148:
116:
113:
95:
94:
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63:
59:
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49:
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39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1195:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
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1171:
1169:
1166:
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1163:
1148:
1145:
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1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
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1120:
1118:
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1098:
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1080:
1078:
1075:
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1010:
1008:
1005:
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998:
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993:
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988:
985:
983:
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975:
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847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
816:T.24 Falcon 4
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
771:T.9 King Kite
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
733:
731:
725:
721:
713:
708:
706:
701:
699:
694:
693:
690:
682:
680:1-85310-732-8
676:
672:
667:
666:
662:
655:
650:
646:
644:0-7136-1189-8
640:
636:
631:
627:
622:
621:
616:
608:
607:Bridgman 1956
603:
600:
595:
588:
585:
582:
577:
574:
571:
566:
564:
560:
557:, p. 263
556:
551:
548:
545:
540:
537:
534:
529:
526:
523:
521:
515:
512:
509:
507:
501:
498:
495:
493:
487:
485:
481:
478:
476:
470:
467:
464:
462:
456:
453:
450:, p. 203
449:
444:
442:
438:
435:
433:
427:
425:
423:
421:
417:
410:
405:
403:
402:
399:
398:Related lists
393:
390:
388:
385:
384:
383:
382:
375:
370:
369:Wing loading:
367:
364:
363:Rate of sink:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
337:
334:
331:
327:
325:
321:
318:
315:
314:
313:
311:
303:
300:
297:
296:Empty weight:
294:
291:
283:
281:
277:
274:
272:
268:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
250:
247:
244:
243:
242:
240:
235:
233:
230:
223:
218:
215:
212:
209:
208:
204:
202:
200:
196:
188:
186:
184:
180:
175:
172:
168:
164:
159:
157:
149:
147:
143:
139:
137:
132:
128:
126:
122:
114:
112:
110:
106:
102:
92:
87:
86:
82:
80:First flight
79:
78:
74:
71:
70:
67:
64:
62:Manufacturer
61:
60:
56:
51:
50:
44:
40:
37:
36:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1132:Tandem Tutor
1077:Kirby Kite 2
1072:Kirby Kite 1
951:T.67 Firefly
931:T.59 Kestrel
891:T.49 Capstan
881:T.45 Swallow
856:T.37 Skylark
851:T.35 Austral
845:
836:T.30 Prefect
796:T.18 Hengist
729:designations
727:Manufacturer
670:
653:
634:
625:
617:Bibliography
609:, p. 92
602:
593:
587:
576:
555:Ellison 1971
550:
544:Swiss record
539:
528:
519:
514:
505:
500:
491:
474:
469:
460:
455:
448:Ellison 1971
431:
397:
396:
380:
379:
368:
362:
356:
350:
344:
338:
332:
322:
317:Stall speed:
316:
309:
307:
301:
295:
278:
271:Aspect ratio
269:
263:
257:
251:
245:
238:
236:
232:Ellison 1971
228:
227:
192:
176:
160:
153:
144:
140:
133:
129:
118:
100:
98:
89:Number built
18:
1082:Kirby Tutor
1067:Kirby Cadet
1032:Grasshopper
1027:Grunau Baby
826:T.26 Kite 2
821:T.25 Gull 4
781:T.13 Petrel
741:T.3 Primary
310:Performance
216:T.34B Sky 2
210:T.34A Sky 1
195:Netherlands
1162:Categories
1037:Kirby Gull
977:Cadet TX.3
972:Cadet TX.2
967:Cadet TX.1
936:T.61 Falke
871:T.42 Eagle
736:T.1 Falcon
406:References
264:Wing area:
1122:Skylark 4
1117:Skylark 3
1112:Skylark 2
1107:Skylark 1
1062:King Kite
1007:Falcon II
941:T.65 Vega
901:T.51 Dart
811:T.23 Kite
387:DFS Weihe
351:g limits:
258:Wingspan:
229:Data from
189:Survivors
125:DFS Weihe
111:of 1952.
105:sailplane
72:Designer
43:sailplane
1102:Sedbergh
1012:Falcon 4
1002:Falcon I
846:T.34 Sky
756:T.6 Kite
570:Sky list
392:IS-1 Sęp
376:See also
205:Variants
1147:V-Liner
1142:Venture
1127:Swallow
1097:Prefect
1092:Phoenix
1057:Kestrel
1052:Hengist
1022:Firefly
987:Dagling
982:Capstan
960:By name
286:NACA 2R
280:Airfoil
252:Length:
183:Béziers
136:Kite II
121:Gull IV
1087:Petrel
1047:Gull 3
1042:Gull 2
677:
641:
520:Flight
506:Flight
492:Flight
475:Flight
461:Flight
432:Flight
292:at tip
171:Madrid
1017:Falke
997:Eagle
411:Notes
246:Crew:
38:Role
1137:Vega
992:Dart
926:T.58
921:T.57
906:T.53
886:T.46
806:T.21
801:T.20
675:ISBN
639:ISBN
275:18.7
179:Bern
99:The
24:Sky
181:to
93:16
1164::
562:^
483:^
440:^
419:^
290:12
201:.
711:e
704:t
697:v
683:.
647:.
326::
288:2
282::
273::
248:1
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