The Schreder Airmate HP-8 is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, high-wing single seat

glider Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...

that was designed by Richard Schreder after the loss of the

HP-7 The Schreder HP-7 was an American glider, the first design of Richard Schreder and the first in the long line of Schreder HP sailplanes. Design and development Schreder built the HP-7 (HP stands for "high performance") in 1957 as a competiti ...

in 1957. Airmate was the name of Schreder's design company.

Design and development

The HP-8 was designed as a result of the lessons learned in flying the HP-7 in the 1957 US Nationals. The HP-7 was destroyed in an aero-towing accident shortly after the Nationals and Schreder decided to improve on the earlier design with the HP-8. As in all of Schreder's designs, the ''HP'' stands for "high performance". The HP-8 is an all-metal design with a very high aspect ratio wing of 24:1, that incorporates a NACA 65 (3)-618

airfoil An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine. ...

. The wing is of only 110 square feet (10 m²) in area and this gives a high wing loading of 7.53 lbs/sq ft (36.8 kg/m²), allowing a high glide ratio at a high speed.

Operational history

The HP-8 was entered by Schreder in the 1958 US Nationals and placed first. Schreder set records with the aircraft in all three speed categories in 1959 and also flew it to first place in the 1960 US Nationals. The sole example built was then sold to

George B. Moffat, Jr. George B. Moffat Jr. is an author, twice world champion glider pilot, and a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame. He began flying airplanes in 1953, gliders in 1959, entered his first national soaring competition in 1962, and was still an active ...

who raised the speed records that Schreder had set in the aircraft. The HP-8 was subsequently purchased by Fred Hefty and John Elizalde and donated to the National Soaring Museum.

Aircraft on display

* National Soaring Museum - 1. Currently listed as "under restoration"

Specifications (HP-8)

Notes

References