Slingsby Falcon III

The Slingsby T.4 Falcon 3 was a two-seat training glider produced from 1935, by Fred Slingsby in Kirbymoorside, Yorkshire.

T.4 Falcon 3
Role Primary Training Glider
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Slingsby Sailplanes
Designer Fred Slingsby
First flight 1935
Number built 9
Developed from Slingsby Falcon 2

Design and development

Espin Hardwick persuaded Fred Slingsby to build a two-seat version of the Falcon. Slingsby enlarged the fuselage to accept side by side seating for pupil and instructor, and enlarged the aircraft to cope with the increased weight. The increased span wings were attached to a rectangular centre-section which was supported by six struts. To increase the field of vision the centre section had celluloid panels and the wing root fairing strips were made from a clear plastic, both of these vision aids tended to have short lives, and were usually replaced with doped fabric or plywood as appropriate.

History

After successful flight tests with only minor modifications, the Falcon 3 was put into production. Eight more were built, but didn't see as much use as trainers as they should have, due to the short-sighted prevailing opinion that trainee pilots gained more from having to master gliders with poor flying characteristics. Production halted by 1938 and most of the Falcon 3's were impressed for use by the Air Training Corps

Operators

UK

  • Air Training Corps

Specifications

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two
  • Length: 22 ft 1 in (6.74 m)
  • Wingspan: 58 ft 0 in (17.69 m)
  • Wing area: 294.8 sq ft (27.4 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 11.1
  • Airfoil: Göttingen 535
  • Empty weight: 500 lb (227 kg)
  • Gross weight: 899 lb (408 kg)

Performance

gollark: Well, I'll rephrase that, I just need iron ingots.
gollark: What's the lowest price?
gollark: I need someone to buy 32 iron ingots from wolfmall.
gollark: I basically sell them at cost.
gollark: I need to check how much iron I need...

See also
  • Slingsby Falcon 2

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

  • Slingsby T.21 Sedbergh

Related lists

References
  • Ellison, N.H. British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922-1970. A & C Black, 1971
  • Simons, M. Slingsby Sailplanes. Airlife Publishing, 1996 - ISBN 1-85310-732-8
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