Only one 1-29 was built by Ernest Schweizer. It consists of a modified 1-23G fuselage and tail with the addition of a constant chord, laminar-flow airfoil wing and balanced dive brakes. The wing ribs are identical, made from one master die to help ensure laminar flow. It has flush, counter-sunk rivets, and the heavy, deep spar helps to reduce elastic wing deflections and minimize skin oil-canning.
1964
It was subsequently presented to the National Soaring Museum
Ernest Schweizer’s medium performance single-seat SGS 1-26 was originally designed to be marketed in kit form to homebuilders, with a wing span of 40ft 0in.
It first flew in prototype form in January 1954 and following FAA Type Certification production began in November that year of 1-26s both complete and in kit form.
To help the amateur constructor, all the complicated alignments, welding and assemblies requiring specialised tooling are undertaken by the manufacturer; included in the kit is a basic welded fuselage assembly, and parts such as a pre-formed aluminium nose cap and the moulded Plexiglas canopy. The 1-26 was reckoned to require from 300 to 600 man-hours for assembly, depending on the homebuilder’s skill and experience and, unlike the earlier SGS 1-23, it had fabric covering of the control surfaces, fuselage and tail unit.
The 1-26 once held the National Feminine Distance and Goal records at 439.8 km./ 273.28 miles and 153.1 km./ 96.5 miles set by Rose Marie Licher and Jean Arnold, respectively. A significant number of pilots have earned all three Diamond badges in 1-26’s. A significant number of 1-26’s were sold outside the U.S. notably in Canada and Indonesia.
The original (‘standard’) model was factory completed (22 built); the A was a standard kit (114 built). They were of metal/ fabric wings and tail, steel-tube/ fabric fuselage.
The prototype 1-26 had fabric-covered wings, whereas the B, which first flew in June 1956, was factory completed with all-metal covered wings increasing both empty and gross weight by 11 kg/ 25 lb. The C was the kit version of the B.
The 1-26D, which first flew in June 1968, offered a new low-profile fuselage featuring a monocoque metal nose and new one-piece canopy for better visibility, plus air-balanced double dive brakes, a new cockpit interior and an increased allowable load, with a welded chrome-molybdenum steel tube fuselage with Ceconite fabric covering, and a new fin and rudder with squared-off top and straight trailing edge, replacing the curved top and rudder trailing edge of earlier versions.
The SGS 1-26E first flew in March 1971, with an all-metal semi-monocoque fuselage. The all-metal mid-wing has fabric-covered horizontal tail surfaces, ailerons and airbrakes.
SGS 1-26E
The E model superseded the 1-26D in 1971, being the last refinement in the 1-26 series with an all metal monocoque fuselage which appreciably increased the empty weight. The 1-26E has cantilever all-metal mid-set wings of aluminium alloy, with metal skinning and fabric covered ailerons, and balanced air brakes immediately aft of the spar. The cantilever tail unit is of aluminium alloy, with fabric covering on all versions. Landing gear consists of a non-retractable unsprung monowheel with a brake, with a nose skid mounted on solid rubber blocks just ahead of it; there is also a small solid rubber tailwheel, although the early versions had a tailskid, and there is a small wheel mounted under each wing tip. The pilot sits under a one-piece moulded Plexiglas canopy, and there is provision for radio to be carried. Dick Johnson’s flight test show little difference between the earlier models and the E. The U.S. Air Force Academy operates 3 as the TG-3.
The original Standard 1-26, serial 001, was donated to the National Soaring Museum.
More than 700 1-26s of all variants had been produced by January 1980, of which about 200 were in kit form. An SGS 1-26E was to be a prototype for an electrically-powered light aircraft being studied by NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Only one all metal 2-25 was built by Ernest Schweizer and was flown in the 1954 World Championships at Champhill, England and 1956 World Championships at St. Yan, France in the multiplace category. Stan Smith and R.Kidder fininished 3rd in 1954, and Kempes Trager and Gene Miller were 4th in 1956. It has triple spoilers (2 on top, 1 on bottom of each wing). The sole example was donated to the soaring program at the U.S. Air Force Academy and later presented to the National Soaring Museum. It is presently on loan to the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson FB, Dayton, OH.
The all metal 1-24 was a spare-time cooperative project between Ernest Schweizer and Howard Burr when he worked for the company. It features a shoulder wing and an internal traveling balance weight for trimming hands-off at 80 kph/ 43 kt/ 50 mph through 129 kph/ 70 kt/ 80 mph.
Designed by Ernest Schweizer, the SGS 1-23 all-metal high performance single-seater was first flown at the 1948 US National Soaring Contest at Elmira, NY, and was based on the 1-21.
The 1-23 has mid-set single-spar cantilever wings and is of truly all-metal construction with flush riveting, there being no fabric covering at all; 75ST alloy was used in the spar ends and fuselage centre-section, and the remainder of the structure was of 24ST Alclad. In its initial form the 1 -23 had a wing span of 43ft 10in, and an aspect ratio of 12.88, and there were two sets of spoilers in the wing upper surfaces. The outside spoilers were double ones and could be locked in four positions, fully open as dive brakes or intermediately for the landing approach; the inner spoilers were single for glide control on the approach, and were coupled to the monowheel brake. There was a rubber-mounted skid forward of the non-retractable unsprung monowheel, and a small tail wheel.
The 1-23B & C were built for the 1952 World Championships held at Madrid Cuatro Vientos, Spain flown by Paul MacCready and Paul Schweizer. They both had the wing spars spliced and stretched to 15.24 m / 50 ft, and the C had thicker wing skins, a heavier spar and weighed 41 kg./ 90 lb more.
The SGS 1-23D production version of the B (Air Transport Certified), like the 1-23B and 1-23C featured a wing increased in span to 50ft 0in, with an aspect ratio of 15.58, for improved performance, and production of this version started in July 1953; the wing tips were now square-cut instead of pointed as on the 1-23, and the fin and rudder were slightly larger.
One flown by Paul MacCready won the 1953 Nationals, and another was flown 733 km / 455.5 miles by Joe Lincoln to earn the Barringer Trophy for 1960. An example belongs to the National Soaring Museum.
The single 1-23E was built for Paul MacCready to fly in the 1954 World Championships where it finished 4th. It has balanced airbrakes and originally no wheel, using the skid for takeoff and landing. The 1-23E had a wing span of 16.1 m / 52ft 9.5 in and a thicker wing skin. Paul Bikle won two world altitude records with the 1-23E (14.102 m / 46.267 ft absolute 12.894 m / 42.303 ft gain).
The one 1-23F built was an E which featured butt joints in the structure instead of lap joints. A larger fin and rudder with squared-off top distinguished the 1-23G (Air Transport Certified). The 1-23G was a 1954 production model with the longer wing of the E and F, standard spoilers and a larger vertical tail of slightly different shape.
One 1-23G was developed into the experimental 1-29, which was basically a 1-23G fitted with a new constant-chord laminar flow wing, the first Schweizer design to be so fitted; this was used to flight test new design features as well as for competition flying.
Final production versions, also with the larger vertical tail surfaces, were the 1-23H and 1-23H-15, the H, of which 8 were built, having a span of 52ft 8in and limiting speed DFS-type air brakes which replaced the double spoilers of earlier versions, as well as detachable wing tips enabling it to be converted to a Standard Class 15m span, in which form it was known as the 1-23H-15. The pilot sits over the leading edge under a blown one-piece sideways-opening Perspex canopy, and there is room behind him for a radio, barograph and oxygen equipment. The 1-23H and H-15 has a squared-off top to the fin and rudder. The more numerous H-15 version has a wingspan reduced to 15.0 m / 49.2 ft qualifying it for the FAI-OSTIC Standard Class. It was also produced with removable tips increasing the span to 16.1 m / 52.8 ft. 39 of this model were built.
On 30 December 1950, a 1-23 flown by William Ivans set a new World height record of 42,100ft above sea level at Bishop, California, gaining 30,100ft from his aero-tow release height, and on 25 February 1961 a 1-23E flown by Paul Bikle set the world height record of 46,266ft.
A total of 69 SGS l-23s of all versions have been produced.
One, which also belongs to the National Soaring Museum, was substantially modified by Sterling Starr by the fitting of a new NACA 65 (3)-618 section 16.5 m / 54 ft wing.
SGS 1-23D Wing span: 15.24 m / 50.0 ft Length: 6.25 m / 20 ft 4 in Height 1.52 m / 5 ft 0 in Wing area 14.9 sq.m / 160 sq ft Wing section: NACA 43012A/23009 Aspect ratio: 15.6 Empty weight: 190 kg / 420 lb Max weight 340 kg / 750 lb Water ballast: None Max wing loading: 22.8 kg/sq.m / 4.6 lb/sq ft Max speed: 114 kt / 212 km/h Stalling speed: 28 kt / 52 km/h Min sinking speed at 30 kt / 55 km/h: 0.61 m/sec / 1.86 ft/sec Best glide ratio at 41.5 kt / 77 km/h: 30
SGS 1-23H Span: 52 ft 8 in Length: 20 ft 10 in Wing area: 164.9 sq ft Aspect ratio: 16.9 Empty weight: 480 lb Max weight: 750 lb Max speed: 140 mph Min sinking speed: 2.05 ft/sec at 37 mph Best glide ratio: 30.8:1 at 50 mph
SGS 1-23H-15 Span: 49 ft2.5 in Length: 20 ft 10 in Wing area: 159.4 sq ft Aspect ratio: 15.12 Empty weight: 474 lb Max weight: 750 lb Max speed: 140 mph Min sinking speed: 2.15 ft/sec at 38 mph Best glide ratio: 29.2:1 at 50 mph
Designed by Ernest Schweizer, the two-seater 2-22 first flew in 1947 and entered service the following year and became (until superseded by the 2-23) the most used two- place trainer in America. It was derived from the SGU 1-7 and developed through A, B, C, D and E models.
Of all-metal construction with metal and fabric covering, the 2-22 has strut-braced constant chord aluminium alloy hjgh-set wings, with a metal D-tube leading edge ahead of the main spar and fabric covering aft of it; there are no flaps or spoilers. The fuselage is a welded chrome-molybdenum steel tube structure with fabric covering, and there is a non-retractable and unsprung Goodyear mono-wheel with brake immediately aft of a nose skid mounted on rubber blocks; there is also a rubber-mounted tailskid. The fin and rudder are of aluminium with fabric covering, while the strut-braced tailplane and elevators are steel tube frameworks with fabric covering. The two pilots are seated in tandem with dual controls under a transparent, sideways-opening canopy, and in its initial form the 2-22 had tandem open cockpits with provision for an enclosed canopy.
The original 2-22 had a 204 kg / 450 lb empty weight and 377 kg / 830 lb gross with no rear side windows and no doors.
The SGU 2-22A (3 built) which appeared in 1957 featured several changes in the cockpit section, a redesign for the U.S. Air Force Academy with lengthened nose, full canopy and 409 kg / 900 lb gross weight.
The B is the original modified for 409 kg / 900 lb gross weight.
The C incorporated the A and B changes plus smaller ailerons; 103 built, including 28 kits (described as the 2-22CK). The D is the original model with small ailerons. The E was the last production model, with larger spoilers, roomier cockpit, new canopy with wing root changes to provide for a skylight.
Schweizer 2-22E
No. Built: 258, including kits sold for amateur construction.
The 2-33 was designed to succeed the 2-22 as something a little plusher and better performing, thereby making it easier to attract new students into soaring.
2-22E Wing span: 13.11 m / 43 ft 0 in Wing area: 19.51 sq.m / 210 sq.ft Aspect ratio: 8.81 Airfoil: NACA 4301 2A Length: 25 ft 8.5 in Height: 9 ft 0 in Empty Weight: 213 kg / 470 lb Payload: 195 kg / 430 lb Gross Weight: 408 kg / 900 lb Wing Load: 20.91 kg/sq.m / 4.8 lb/sq.ft Max speed: 89 mph (in smooth air) L/DMax: 17 76 kph / 41 kt / 47 mph MinSink: 1.07 m/s / 3.5 fps / 2.07 kt Min sinking speed (solo): 2.8ft/sec Seats: 2
Designed by Ernest Schweizer and built in 1947, the 1-21 won the Nationals that year flown by Dick Comey, whose 483 km / 300 miles flight was a National distance record at the time.
Stan Smith flew a 1-21 in the 1952 World Championships at Madrid Cuatro Vientos in Spain. The ship features triple spoilers (2 on top, 1 on bottom) and water ballast tank in the wing.
The structure was all metal, with some fabric on the tail and trailing edge of wing.
There was no market at the 1947 price so a simpler model, the 1-23, was produced instead.
Wing span: 15.54 m / 51 ft Wing area: 15.33 sq.m / 165 sq.ft Aspect ratio: 15.75 Airfoil: NACA 23012 Empty Weight: 213 kg / 470 lb Payload: 113 kg / 250 lb Gross Weight: 326 kg / 720 lb Wing Load: 21.26 kg/sq.m / 4.26 lb/sq.ft Water Ballast: 121 kg / 266 lb L/DMax: 27 80 kph / 43 kt / 50 mph MinSink: 0.76 m/s / 2.5 fps / 1.48 kt Seats: 1 No. Built: 2
The 1-19, designed by Ernest Schweizer and produced as a low cost utility ship intended for the post war market, first flew in 1944.
The 1-19A was the kit version. Despite being small and light, rigging is complicated with many pins, and through it was produced with an open cockpit, many owners have added canopies. The structure is wood/ fabric, 2-spar, constant chord, 2-strut-braced wings; metal/ fabric tail; steel-tube/ fabric fuselage.
When aluminum became unavailable during World War II, Ernest and Paul Schweizer reworked the all-metal TG 2-8 (USAAC TG-2/ USN LNS-1) into a wooden sailplane. Besides being fabricated from wood, the wings were lowered from the 2-8’s shoulder position to a mid/ low mounting to improve rear seat visibility. The wing was thickened to allow cantilever construction and greater strenght for high speed aerotowing. Also upper and lower surface spoilers were used and the design simplified to ease of construction.
Harland Ross set an altitude record at 11,003 m / 36,100 feet in 1950, and Betsy Woodward held the feminine version of the same record.
One belongs to the National Soaring Museum. The Vintage Sailplane Association has the military manuals, color scheme drawing and paint chips.
All Aero 