Scott Viking 2

Last updated

Viking 2
RoleHigh performance two seat sailplane
National origin UK
ManufacturerScott Light Aircraft Ltd., Dunstable
DesignerW.R. Scott
First flight27 August 1939
Number built1
Developed fromScott Viking 1

The Scott Viking 2 was the first British high performance two seat sailplane, [1] flying a few days before the outbreak of World War II. Only one was built; it was used in radar station trials in the summer of 1940.

Contents

Design and development

The all wood Viking 2 was a close relative of the earlier Viking 1 but bigger, heavier and with a modified and repositioned wing. The latter retained the same planform, having a constant chord central section and tapered outer panels with rounded tips. The outer panels, each about one third of the span, carried full width, variable droop ailerons. A pair of spoilers was fitted at mid-chord on the centre section. However, the wing was mid-mounted rather than shoulder mounted and had slight dihedral on the thickened central section. The upper surfaces of the outer panels were without dihedral, forming overall a cantilever gull wing. The wing span was 10 ft 0 in (3.06 m) greater than that of the Viking 1. [1]

The fuselage of the Viking 2 was also similar to those of its predecessor, oval in section and plywood skinned, though wider to accommodate the side-by-side cockpit and also 27 in (686 mm) longer. The canopy line was lower and smoother than that of the Viking 1. The fuselage narrowed to the rear where the tapered tailplane was mounted just above the fuselage on a short sub-fin or pedestal. The chord of both pedestal and tailplane were greater than on the Viking 1, with more sweep on the tailplane's leading edge. There was no fixed fin; the tapered, rounded, fabric covered rudder extended to the lower fuselage and moved in a cut-out in the elevators. A single main skid reached from the nose to below cockpit, where there was a single, part exposed fixed wheel. There was a bumper on the extreme rear fuselage. [1]

Operational history

The prototype Viking 2 first flew on 27 August 1939, from Dunstable. [1] This was only a few days before the UK declared war, when civilian glider flying was banned. [1] : p.19  Nonetheless, the Viking received its Certificate of Airworthiness in January 1940. In June 1940 it was impressed into service with the RAF Christchurch based Special Flight Unit for trials of the radar stations along the English south coast. It was later test flown from Farnborough but was lost after wing flutter developed; both pilots escaped safely by parachute. [1]

Specifications

Data from British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922-1970 [1]

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Viking 1</span> British single-seat glider, 1938

The Scott Viking 1 was a single seat, high-performance glider designed and built in the UK just before the Second World War. Only four were constructed, one setting records in Argentina and another remaining active into the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maeda 703</span> Type of aircraft

The Maeda 703 was one of the first indigenous Japanese gliders, a high performance single seat aircraft which first flew in 1940. Three were built, two with gull wing wings; one of these set a national endurance record in 1941.

The Bonomi BS.5 Ballerina was a single seat, medium performance training glider designed and built in Italy in the 1930s.

The Bonomi BS.22 Alzavola was a training motor glider, intended to acquaint capable glider pilots with the characteristics of powered aircraft. The sole example was designed and built in Italy in the mid-1930s.

The Bonomi BS.24 Biposto Rome was an Italian dual control trainer designed for club use. Six were built in the mid-1930s.

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 Teichfuss Gabbiano was an Italian, one-off, single seat, high performance glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1928.

The Teichfuss Nibio was an Italian single seat glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in two versions around 1930.

The Teichfuss Falco was an Italian single-seat, intermediate-performance glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1931.

The Teichfuss Supergrifo or Super Grifo was an Italian competition glider designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1935. Only one was built.

The Teichfuss Sparviero was an Italian single seat aerobatic glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1938.

The Teichfuss Turbine was an Italian single seat high performance glider, designed by Luigi Teichfuss and flown in 1939.

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.

The IIL IS-8 was a two-seat sailplane designed by Iosif Șilimon and built in Romania in 1960. They served with Romanian gliding clubs.

The IIL IS-10 was a high-performance, single-seat glider, designed and built in Romania in the early 1960s. It was the first Romanian aircraft to use laminar flow airfoils.

The RRG Urubu Obs, often known just as the RRG Obs, was a one-off, large, two or three seat glider designed for meteorological observations by Alexander Lippisch in Germany and first flown in 1932.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubik R-03 Szittya I</span> Type of aircraft

The Rubik R-03 Szittya I was a Hungarian single-seat sailplane flown in the late 1930s. The design was developed through three improving variants. though only one of each was built.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ellison, Norman (1971). British Gliders and Sailplanes. London: A & C Black Ltd. pp. 43–5, 167, 253. ISBN   978-0-7136-1189-2.
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.