Gross Sky Ghost

Sky Ghost
Role	Glider
National origin	United States
Designer	Frank R. Gross
First flight	1931
Status	Sole example in the National Soaring Museum
Number built	one

Last updated May 21, 2022

The Gross Sky Ghost is an American high-wing, strut-braced, two-seat, glider that was designed by Frank R. Gross.^[1]^[2]

Design and development

Gross was a graduate of Akaflieg Darmstadt and the Sky Ghost was his third glider design after the Baker-McMillan Cadet and the Akron Condor. Gross's Sky Ghost was innovative for its era, in that it had tandem seating with dual controls. In the 1930s most glider flight training was accomplished by having a student fly short hops under supervision of an instructor on the ground.^[1]

The aircraft fuselage is made from welded steel tubing, with all surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric covering. Its 43 ft (13.1 m) span wing is mounted above the rear seat and supported by parallel lift struts. The tail is cable-braced. The cockpit is open, without a windshield. The landing gear is a conventional arrangement for fixed wing powered aircraft, rather than the more common central monowheel used on gliders. A wooden skid is also mounted on the fuselage center line. In addition to the main landing gear the aircraft has a tail skid and wing tip skids in the form of tubular loops.^[1]

The aircraft's name was derived from its appearance in flight, which was described as "eerie", due to its matte black finish.^[2]

Operational history

On at least one occasion the Sky Ghost was bungee launched from Harris Hill, New York.^[2]

The first multi-place glider flight of over two hours ever flown in the USA was completed by Gross in the Sky Ghost. It was also the first multi-place glider entered in the US Nationals, when it competed in 1932.^[1]^[2]

Aircraft on display

National Soaring Museum ^[3]

Specifications (Sky Ghost)

Data from Sailplane Directory^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: one passenger
Length: 22 ft 3 in (6.78 m)
Wingspan: 43 ft (13 m)
Wing area: 215 sq ft (20.0 m²)
Empty weight: 310 lb (141 kg)

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References

1 2 3 4 5 Activate Media (2006). "Sky Ghost Gross". Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
1 2 3 4 Schweizer, Paul A: Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States, page 62. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988. ISBN 0-87474-828-3
↑ National Soaring Museum (2011). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". Archived from the original on May 16, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.

External links

Detailed photos of the Sky Ghost in the National Soaring Museum

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[SD-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Activate Media (2006). "Sky Ghost Gross". Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2011.

[Schweizer-2] 1 2 3 4 Schweizer, Paul A: Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States, page 62. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988. ISBN 0-87474-828-3

[NSMCollection-3] National Soaring Museum (2011). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". Archived from the original on May 16, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.

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