The Noble Hardman Snowbird Mk.IV is a 2-seat high-wing microlight aeroplane powered by a single Rotax 532 engine. The Mk.IVs are built by Noble Hardman Aviation Ltd and test flown at the Cardiff-Rhoose Airport in Wales.
Tandem two seat single engined high wing monoplane with conventional three axis con¬trol. Wing has swept back leading edge, unswept trailing edge and tapering chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; roll control by half span ailerons; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wing braced from below by struts; wing profile NACA 4412 with 2.5 deg washout; 100% double surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation; steel spring suspension on all wheels. Push right go right nosewheel steering connected to yaw control. Brake on nosewheel. Aluminium tube framework partially enclosed. Engine mounted below wing driving tractor prop¬eller.
The Snowbird was a conventional three axis machine with dual controls (including a dual throttle) and tube and Dacron construction. Its wing design uses a quarter chord twin-¬tube main spar with resilient foam D sections and tube aft sections. The ribs are capped with aluminium and all fabric is removable for inspection and maintenance.
A feature of the float kit is that the floats will not be attached rigidly to the aircraft but will be fitted with a suspension system consisting of a front rocker bar and air dampers.
Engine: Robin EC44, 50hp at 6500rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 62 x 27 inch, 1.57 x 0.69 m
Toothed belt reduction, ratio 2.8/1
Max static thrust 320 lb, 145 kg
Power per unit area 0.28 h p/sq.ft, 3.0hp/sq.m
Fuel capacity main tank 4.8 US gal, 4.0 Imp gal, 18.2 litre
Fuel capacity reserve 1.2 US gal, 1.0 Imp gal, 4.5 litre
Length overall 20.0 ft, 6.10 m
Height overall 7.6ft, 2.32m
Wing span 36.0ft, 10.97m
Chord at root 5.6ft, 1.70m
Chord at tip 4.4ft, 1.35m
Dihedral 2 degrees
Sweepback 3 degrees
Tailplane span 6.6 ft, 2.00 m
Fin height 4.1 ft, 1.25 m
Total wing area 180 sq.ft, 16.7 sq.m
Total aileron area 16.5 sq.ft, 1.53 sq.m
Fin area 12.5 sq.ft, 1.16 sq.m
Rudder area 7.5 sq.ft, 0.70 sq.m
Tailplane area 22.4 sq.ft, 2.08 sq.m
Total elevator area 7.5 sq.ft, 0.70 sq.m
Wing aspect ratio 7.2/1
Wheel track 6.3ft, 1.92 m
Wheelbase 5.2ft, 1.58 m
Nosewheel diameter overall 14 inch, 36 cm
Main wheels diameter overall 16 inch, 41 cm
Optional floats: length 12.0ft, 3.66m, buoyancy 1200 lb, 544kg
Empty weight 300 lb, 136 kg
Max take off weight 696 lb, 316kg
Payload 396 lb, 180 kg
Max wing loading 3.87 lb/sq.ft, 18.9 kg/sq.m
Max power loading 13.9 lb/hp, 6.3 kg/hp
Load factors +6.0, 4.0 design
Max level speed 65 mph, 105 kph
Never exceed speed 80 mph, 129 kph
Stalling speed 28 33 mph, 45 53 kph
Max climb rate at sea level 750 ft/min, 3.8 m/s
The Teradako-ken TK-3 was a prototype eight-to-ten passenger light transport monoplane built by Nippon Koku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha as a short-range transport for civil use at the request of Imperial Japanese Airways to replace its aging fleet of Airspeed Envoys and Fokker Super Universals. The first of two prototypes flew in June 1938, but was unable to meet the required performance requirements and the project was cancelled. In 1939, the Imperial Japanese Army revived the project to meet its urgent requirement for a light transport and liaison aircraft and instructed Nippon to develop the design as the Kokusai Ki-59 (一式輸送機, Isshiki-yusōki).
The Ki-59 was a high-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear and conventional single vertical tail surfaces. It was powered by two 450 hp (336 kW) Hitachi Ha-13a radial engines and other modifications to the design were made to meet Army requirements. The Ki-59 was ordered into production in 1941 with the designation Army Type 1 Transport, and an additional 59 units were produced. After the start of World War II, the aircraft was given the Allied reporting name Theresa. Despite the more powerful engines and modifications sponsored by the Japanese Army, the Ki-59 remained a poor performer and saw little service before being replaced by the more capable Tachikawa Ki-54. A small number were transferred to Manchukuo National Airways.
Near the end of 1941 one Ki-59 was modified into a glider with the removal of the engines and the landing gear replaced by underfuselage skids. It was designated the Ku-8-I or Army Experimental Glider.
Variant:
Nippon Kokusai Ku-8
TK-3
Engines: 2 x 640 hp (477 kW) Nakajima Kotobuki 3
two built.
Ki-59 (Army Type 1 Transport) / Theresa
Engines: 2 x 450 hp (336 kW) Hitachi Ha-13a
Wingspan: 17 m (55 ft 9¼ in)
Wing area: 38.4 m2 (413 ft2)
Length: 12.5 m (41 ft 0⅛ in)
Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 2,880 kg (6,349 lb)
Gross weight: 4,120 kg (9,083 lb)
Cruising speed: 300 km/h (186 mph)
Range: 800 km (497 miles)
Crew: 3
Capacity: Eight passengers
59 built.
This Japanese side-by-side two-seater motor glider, designed and built by the Nihon Hikoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Japan Aircraft Manufacturing Co Ltd). Of all-metal construction, Nippi began the design of the Albatross late in 1973. The Albatross has cantilever shoulder wings with a single spar and two-section metal skinned flaps on each side that move upwards or downwards; the inner ones can be lowered to 80° for use as air brakes, and there are no spoilers. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque structure, with the forward-retracting twin-wheel main landing gear operated mechanically with spring assistance, and positioned just ahead of the ‘Venetian blind’ air intake doors. There is also a steerable fixed tailwheel linked to the rudder movement. The two pilots are provided with dual controls and sit under a rearward-hinged flush-fitting framed cockpit canopy. The unswept tail unit has conventional elevators and rudder. Powered by a motorcycle engine ‘buried’ in the centre of the fuselage aft of the main landing gear and driving a ducted fan.
The prototype NP-100 made its first flight on 25 December 1975; several modifications were made as a result of the first flight test programme, and a second such programme was to take place during January-March 1978 so as to finalise details of the production version.
The prototype’s powerplant is a modified 60hp Kawasaki H2 three-cylinder two stroke air-cooled in-line motorcycle engine of 748cc driving a four-bladed wooden ducted fan of 23.5in diameter, the fan duct being under the tail boom. There are triple ‘Venetian blind’-type air intake doors on each side of the fuselage, which are interconnected with the engine starting circuit so as to prevent the engine running when the doors are closed. There is a single fuel tank in the fuselage of 8.8 Imp gallons capacity. It was expected that production aircraft would have a 68hp Nippi ‘flat four’ engine. Planned production is now awaiting the final choice of a type-certificated powerplant.
Prototype
Engine: Kawasaki HZI 748 cc, 44.7 kW (60 hp)
Span: 18.0 m / 59 ft 0.25 in
Wing area: 18.0 sq.m / 193.75 sq.ft
Aspect ratio: 18.0
Wing section: Wortmann FX-67-K-170
Length: 8.0 m / 26 ft 3 in
Height: 2.23 m / 6 ft 7.5 in
Empty weight: 420 kg / 926 lb
Max weight: 600 kg / 1,322 lb
Fuel capacity: 40 litre / 8.8 Imp gall.
Water ballast: None
Max wing loading: 33.3 kg/sq.m / 6.82 /b/sq.ft
Max level speed at sea level: 99 mph / 86 kt / 160 km/h
Max cruising speed: 74 mph
Stalling speed: 35 kt / 65 km/h
Min sinking speed: 0.8 m/sec / 2.62 ft/sec at 51.5 mph / 44.5 kt / 83 km/h
Best glide ratio: 30:1 at 56 mph / 48.5 kt / 90 km/h
ROC: 120m/min / 394 ft/min
Take-off run: 365 m / 1,200 ft
Range with max fuel: 124 miles / 200 km / 108 nm
1937
In 1949 Rod Nimmo, of Los Angeles CA., built the single-place cabin, low wing monoplane, Smirnoff Special midget racer N84G, partly from the Nimmo (Argander) Special.
Powered by an 85hp Continental C-85 engine, it was destroyed in practice 1966.
Among VV Nikitin’s designs, the NV-2 (Russian: Никитин НВ-2) single-seat training aircraft developed in 1935 as a low-wing single-seat monoplane, the NV-2 was a fairly advanced development of the 1933 NV-1 sport plane.
Structurally it was a single-seater with a low wing made of wood. Its monocoque fuselage was constructed of glued wood and covered with fabric. Like most of this manufacturer’s aircraft, the NV-2 was characterized by its excellent finish.
The wing, built in an integral way, had an area of 11 square meters and its construction was also made of wood covered with 2 mm plywood up to the last spar and covered with glued fabric.
The NV-2 introduced retractable landing gear with the main landing gear retracting into the underwing pants. The tail skid was located in the lower rear area of the fuselage.
The power plant used was the 100 hp M-11 under a NACA cowl that allowed it to reach a speed of 230 km/h and an operating ceiling of 5800 meters.
The prototype was manufactured mainly by students of the Moscow Aviation Technological Institute (OKB-30), based on resources provided by OSOVIAJIM and saw the light of day in 1935.
The flight characteristics were excellent and leading pilot instructors from Moscow flying clubs flew on the NV-2. Its operational life exceeded 150 flights.
In 1938 the OKB-30 developed an improved version powered by the 165 hp MG-11. Named NV-2bis, this model successfully passed the state tests and the VVS became interested in the model, ordering the production of a small series under the name UTI-5.
The UTI-15 was designed in general similar to the NV-2 but presented structural reinforcement to introduce the more powerful MG-31 engine. The construction of the model was very clean, being even superior to the stock I-16 in this aspect.
The request for its construction came from the leadership of the VVS, but the prototype was flown in 1938 by pilots from the NII VVS, the GVF and the OSOVIAJIM. Overall, the UTI-5 was flown by more than 40 pilots. It was concluded that the aircraft was quite good and met the requirements for a training aircraft for fighter functions and on the other hand, the decision to install a ShKAS synchronized machine gun with 250 rounds on the model, facilitated the possibility of combat training.
The VVS requested a series of 20 copies. Construction started, but was cancelled when the Yakovlev UT-2 was ordered for production at the same factory.
NV-2
Powerplant: 1 x 100 hp M-11
Wingspan: 8.0m
Wing area: 11.0 m²
Length: 6.15m
Height: 2.14m
Tail span: 2.85 m
Empty weight: 385 kg
Loaded weight: 750 kg
Power load: 7.50 kg/hp
Fuel and oil capacity: 250+25 kg
Wing loading: 68.0 kg/m²
Speed at sea level: 230 km/h
Cruising speed: 205 km/h
Landing speed: 75 km/h
Practical range: 320 km
Endurance: 10 hr
Ceiling: 5800m
Accommodation: 1
NV-2bis
Powerplant: 165 hp MG-11
Wingspan: 8.0m
Wing area: 11.0m²
Length: 6.15m
Height: 2.14m
Empty weight: 435 kg
Loaded weight: 800 kg
Power load: 4.85 kg/hp
Fuel and oil capacity: 250+25 kg
Wing loading: 72.7 kg/m²
Speed at sea level: 260 km/h
Landing speed: 75 km/h
Endurance: 7h
Ceiling: 7000m
Accommodation: 1
UTI-5
Powerplant: One 300 hp MG-31
Wingspan: 8.0m
Wing area: 11.0 m²
Length: 6.3m
Height: 2.14m
Empty weight: 560 kg
Loaded weight: 950 kg
Power Load: 3.2kg/hp
Fuel and oil capacity: 250+30 kg
Wing loading: 86 kg/m²
Speed at sea level: 350 km/h
Landing speed: 75 km/h
Endurance: 4.5 hr
Ceiling: 8000m
Armament: One 7.62mm ShKAS machine gun / 250 rounds.
Accommodation: 1
The PSN-2 was a single seat glider floatplane designed to test the concept and guidance equipment for a range of guided glider bombs proposed by S.F. Valk in 1933. Designed by M.M. Yefimo the Nikitin PSN-2, (Planer Spetsial’nogo Naznachenaya – glider for special purpose) was designed by MM Yefimov and produced in the USSR from 1934 by V.V. Nikitin.
Constructed of wood, the PSN-2 was a sleek monoplane aircraft with two floats attached to the wing with struts, an open cockpit in the extreme nose of the fuselage and extra fins at the aft end of each float. The PSN-2 could be carried aloft under a mother-ship or aero-towed off water. Beaching gear was available for manoeuvring the aircraft when not on the water.
A prototype was built at factories No. 23 and No. 379. First flown in June 1940, the planned mission of the pilotless production version of PSN-2 included a 40 km (25.85 mile) range flown at 700 km/h (435 mph), guided to the target with the KVANT Infra-red guidance system. Flight testing was carried out in 1940, but work was discontinued on 19 July 1940 after an order from the commissioner of the naval forces. Between July 1 and 23, 1940, three tows were carried out over the water and 10 take-offs with flight heights of up to 275 meters. A Beriev MBR-2 was used as a tug.
Only the one was built.
PSN-2
Wingspan: 7m
Wing area: 9.47 sq.m
Length: 7.7m
Height with floats: 2.7 m
Empty weight: 830 kg
Loaded weight: 1,800 kg
Maximum speed: 168 km / h
Seats: 1
From 1933 a series of special projects was initiated under the PSN banner (Planer Spetsial’nogo Naznachenaya – Glider for Special Purposes). A proposal was made by S.F. Valk for a glider anti-shipping bomb with Infra-Red guidance, which was expanded to include DPT (long-range glider torpedo), LTDD (Long-range flying torpedo) and BMP (towed mine glider). To evaluate the Kvant Infra-Red guidance a piloted anti-shipping missile version was produced as the Nikitin PSN-1. Vasilii Vasilyevich Nikitin and N.G. Mikhelson designed a small single-seat monoplane flying boat glider with floats at approx 1/2 span, carrying a torpedo underneath. The PSN-1 was carried aloft by either Tupolev TB-3 or Tupolev TB-7 motherships and released at the appropriate height.
At least 10 were built in the USSR from 1937 and many of these were flown during trials of the autopilot and the Kvant (Quantum) guidance system.
PSN-1
Powerplant: 1 × MG-11F
Wingspan: 18 m (26 ft 3 in)
Empty weight: 970 kg (2,138 lb)
Gross weight: 2,000 kg (4,409 lb)
Maximum speed: 168 km/h (104 mph, 90 kn)
Crew: 1
The opening up of the Kremer competition to the world brought forth Professor Hidemasa Kimura and students from the Nihon University in Tokyo and a series of man powered aircraft, one of which achieved a straight line flight of 2095 m (2290 yards) in January 1977.
Professor Kimura’s balsa wood and rice paper Stork had by 1977 doubled John Potter’s record in Japan and was in the running for the Kremer prize.
All Aero 