Rotondi R-1 Gheppio

Last updated
R-1 Gheppio
RoleSingle seat glider
National origin Italy
DesignerGianfranco Rotondi
First flight1952
StatusSole example destroyed
Number built1

The Rotondi R-1 Gheppio (English: Kestrel ) was a lightweight, single seat Italian glider. It featured a relatively short wingspan (ten meters). One example was built in the early 1950s.

Contents

Development

The Ghoppia was a cantilever mid-wing monoplane. Its straight tapered wing was built in one piece for lightness around a single spar and had marked dihedral. The outer half of the wing's trailing edge carried ailerons mounted on a false spar; trailing edge airbrakes occupied the inner portion of the wingspan. These airbrakes turned out to be rather ineffective. The wing terminated in small tip bodies. [1] [2]

The fuselage was built in two sections that bolted together. It was ovoid in cross-section, tapering aft to a conventional but integral tail. The fin was straight edged with a rounded tip and a small fillet at its base. Its rudder extended down to the keel. The tailplane was mounted on the fin near the top of the fillet, carrying elevators that had a large cut-out for rudder movement. The Ghoppia's cockpit was over the wing, under a rather prominent canopy which opened by sliding rearwards. This had perspex transparencies forwards and to the sides but was opaque rearwards and above. A skid, reaching aft to about mid-chord, and a tail bumper formed the undercarriage. [1] [2]

Partly due to the single-piece wing, the Ghoppia was unusually light with an empty weight of only 80 kg (176 lb). [1]

Operational history

The Ghoppia was first flown from Bresso, then later from Linate, sometimes launched by aerotow. The sole example was lost in an out-landing accident during a competition organised by the aeroclub of Milan. [1] [2]

Specifications

Data from Pedrielli (2011) p. 221 [1]

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ciani Eventuale</span> Type of aircraft

The Ciani EC 40/62 Eventuale, sometimes known as the SSVV EC 40/62 Eventuale, was an Italian glider. Seating two in tandem, it first flew in 1962 but did not enter production.

The Ciani EC.41/64 Crib or SSVV EC.41/64 Crib was a single seat, high performance glider designed and built in Italy in the 1960s. Only one was built.

The CVV1 Pinguino was a single seat, high performance glider designed and built in Italy in the mid-1930s, the first of a series of gliders from the Milan Polytechnic. It did not go into production.

The CVV 2 Asiago is a simple, single seat glider designed and built in Italy in the mid-1930s, the second of a series of gliders from the Milan Polytechnic and the first go into production.

The CVV 7 Pinocchio was a single seat competition glider designed and built in Italy, first flown in 1952 though designed in 1940. Only one was built.

The Aeronautica Lombarda AL-3 was an Italian sailplane, designed and built in 1939 to take part in the Olympic sailplane competition. It did so but was not successful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonomi BS.17 Allievo Cantù</span> Type of aircraft

The Bonomi BS.17 Allievo Cantù was a single seat training glider, designed and built in Italy in 1934 and widely used by flying clubs.

The Bonomi BS.18 Airone was a single seat training glider, designed in Italy in 1936. Only one was built.

The Bonomi BS.28 Alcione, sometimes known as the Lombarda BS.28 Alcione, was a single seat competition sailplane designed and built in Italy in 1937-8. About four were completed, with two more or less refined fuselages.

The Aviomilano CPV1, also known as the Arlecchino, was an Italian high performance sailplane built in the early 1960s. Only one was built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotondi R-2 Tobia</span> Type of aircraft

The Rotondi R.2 Tobia was built as a student group project in an Italian technical institute, begun in 1958. The sole example of this single seat, wooden glider first flew in 1962.

The Tedeschi E.T.186 was a simple, single seat training glider built in Italy and first flown in 1947. Only one was constructed.

The Pagliani Vittoria was a single-seat glider built in Italy during Second World War. Only one was constructed.

The Caproni Vizzola MF and 2 were single-seat gliders built in Italy just before World War II. Intended as training aircraft capable of aerobatics, the two variants differed only in their fuselages. Only one of each was built, but they were both successful in Italian competitions.

The Sala N1 or N1 Sala was a single-seat,18 m span competition glider built in Italy in 1933. Only one was constructed.

The GVV Dal Molin MD.1 Anfibio Varese,, was a single-seat, amphibious flying boat glider built in Italy in 1933. Eight were constructed.

The GP1 was an Italian glider constructed by university students in Pavia in 1925. Only one was built.

The CVT1 Zigilo was a single-seat, 12-metre-span (39 ft) Italian training glider designed and built in Italy in the 1950s. Only one was completed.

The Teichfuss Grifo was an Italian training glider designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1934. It was built in small numbers.

The Teichfuss Borea or LT.35 Borea was an Italian high performance glider designed by Luigi Teichfuss. It was completed by 1943 but never flew and the sole example was destroyed during the German occupation of Italy.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Pedrielli, Vincenzo; Camastra, Francesco (2011). Italian Vintage Sailplanes. Königswinter: EQIP Werbung & Verlag GmbH. pp. 220–1. ISBN   9783980883894.
  2. 1 2 3 "R1 Gheppio" (PDF). Retrieved 4 November 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.