Buxton Hjordis
The Slingsby Hjordis was a performance glider of the British manufacturer Slingsby Sailplanes from the mid-1930s. The aircraft is named after the legendary figure of female Hjørdis in Norse mythology, but received no usual Slingyby type number. Only a single specimen was prepared. Sometimes the aircraft is also referred to by its main designer as Buxton Hjordis.
History
Designers
Was constructed mainly from the Hjordis Mungo Buxton, a squadron leader of the RAF. Together with the pilot Philip Wills he commissioned in 1934 Slingsby with the construction of the machine. Although the drawings of Buxton showed the essential important for building design features, much of the implementation details, but it is only in the workshops of Slingsby during construction and never put on paper. Buxton was a famous British glider pilot and author corresponding article in the magazine BGA Sailplane & Glider. Wills was the second pilot in Britain who could earn the Silver -C bill.
1935
The Hjordis occurred in 1935 in Sutton Bank for the first time public appearance at the competitions of the British Gliding Association ( BGA). Wills won here the de Havilland Cup for the best rate of climb and the Manio Cup for a predetermined " overland route " 23.6 miles ( 38 km).
1936
In July 1936, Mills presented with a flight from Dunstable to Lowestoft 104 miles ( 166 km) on a British track record, however, proved the limitations of the narrow cockpit as very stressful for the pilot. As an ad hoc solution crescent-shaped holes in the hull were cut just below the cockpit cover. The shoulders of Wills were from then on for all other flights in the wind.
As the biggest drawback, however, hampered by the absence of any spoilers or air brakes, which led to some lighter landing accidents. Originally split flaps were provided at the oars that move when you press the rudder left or right both together. The braking function is activated by the pilot both pedals pressed simultaneously, the two control surfaces moving in opposite directions and were able to produce a high air resistance.
Wills was able to win the cross-country flight price even if the 1936er competitions of the BGA. A British champion was not then determined.
1937
The first international championships in gliding were conducted in July 1937 in Germany on the water dome, whereby five British glider pilots took part. Again flying the Wills Hjordis instead of the newer but less reliable Slingsby King Kite. Wills ended up as 14 of the competition in midfield. Shortly after the return of the British team the British National Championships were conducted in 1937 according to new rules in Derbyshire, with particular attention was paid to haul flights. Wills won three flights, each about 68 miles (109 km).
Whereabouts
1938 Wills sold the Hjordis to a syndicate to Johannesburg, where she received the official aircraft registration mark ZS -23. However, In the photos from that time, she continues to bear their mark G - GAAA and the subscriber's number 15, she had received for the competitions 1937. The aircraft was still flying for a few years in South Africa, the final fate is unknown.
Construction
The Hjordis had a cantilever wing with a high aspect ratio and a strongly curved and thick at the root profile. For this, the Göttingen -652 profile was chosen, which was also used by DFS Fafnir by Alexander Lippisch, Kakadu and the Austria Kupper. The wing was sitting on a high pylon, which also formed the " headrest " of the pilot. Viewed from the front underside of the wing, only the decreasing thickness of the peaks was accurately aligned horizontally, back led to the impression of a slight negative dihedral. The decrease in the depth of the trapezoid in plan wing towards the tips, was very strong with a depth ratio of 1:4. Unusual was Sperrholzbeplankung over the entire depth to the rear spar, which was designed as an auxiliary spar. In contrast to the former wings that were strung from the front spar with fabric, the profile shape of Hjordis remained even at high loads get better and the wing had a higher overall torsional rigidity. The disadvantage however, was the increase in weight associated with it. All control surfaces were covered with fabric.
The hull was designed in semi- monocoque construction, with four Hauptlongerons and circular ribs wore reaching over the entire hull Sperrholzbeplankung.
The dimensions of the Hjordis were, in contrast to most contemporary German designs, relatively small in order to allow the handling and operation for clubs which have only a few members.
The cockpit of the Hjordis was also designed to be extremely small and cramped, this led, for example, to the fact that the operation of the aileron could not carried out by the pivoting of the control stick to the sides, but only by a small wheel to the steering column.