M.Hardy. Gliders & Sailplanes of the world

Kenneth Holmes KH-1

  Designed and built entirely by Mr Kenneth Holmes, a meteorologist, this British high performance single-seater is characterised by a very high aspect ratio (31.0) wing and a slim fuselage of minimum cross-sectional area; ДальшеMore>>> construction is largely of wood. Design work on the KH-1 began in 1968, construction commenced in the following year and the prototype flew for the first time on 24 November 1971. The cantilever shoulder wings are of largely wooden construction with single aluminium spars bonded by epoxy resin and also pop riveted to plywood webs. The spars and closely spaced ribs are covered by a pre-moulded plywood/balsa sandwich to the 50% chord line, by a 2mm thick plywood skin for a further 20% of the chord and with fabric for the remainder of the wing. Small-span trailing edge flaps also act as air brakes, but spoilers are not fitted. The fuselage is built of plywood frames and spruce longerons covered with a birch ply skin, and the landing gear consists of a retractable monowheel and a tail bumper. The tailplane is an all-moving surface with anti-balance tabs controlled by a spring trimmer in the cockpit, and the tall fin and rudder is unswept. A tail braking parachute is fitted for control during the approach and in short field landings. A second example of the KH-1 named the JSH Scorpion was built by Mr John Halford and first flew in July 1977.


Data: KH-1
Span: 60 ft 8 1/2 in
Length: 23 ft 9 in
Height: 5 ft 0 in
Wing area: 120 sqft
Aspect ratio: 31.0
Empty weight: 490 lb
Max weight: 710 lb
Max speed: 97 mph
Best glide ratio: 37:1 at 55.5 mph