The Marske XM-1 was an American

mid-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

, single-seat,

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...

tailless

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 and built by Jim Marske in 1957. Experimentation with the XM-1 lead to the final configuration of the later Marske Pioneer.

Design and development

The first of Marske's flying wings was the XM-1, a design inspired by the flying wing designs of

Charles Fauvel Charles Fauvel (31 December 1904 - 10 September 1979) was a French aircraft designer noted for his tailless and flying wing designs and, in particular, his sailplanes. Fauvel became interested in soaring after witnessing a competition at Vauville ...

and Al Backstrom. He built the XM-1 when he was 19 years old. The aircraft went through several versions, each a modification of the same basic airframe as Marske experimented with configurations. The aircraft started off with

fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...

s on the wing tips and was later converted to a single fin at the rear of the short

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

in its "XM-1D" configuration. The XM-1 was built with a welded steel tube fuselage covered in

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

. The wing was fabricated from wood and covered with doped

aircraft fabric Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...

. The wing employed a 14% Fauvel

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 landing gear was a fixed monowheel. Only one XM-1 was built. It was registered with the US

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

in the '' Experimental - Amateur-built'' category.

Operational history

The XM-1 was described by

Soaring Magazine ''SOARING'' is a magazine published monthly as a membership benefit of the Soaring Society of America. It was first published in 1937. The headquarters is in Hobbs, New Mexico. The magazine's article topics include safety issues and accounts of ind ...

as "easy to fly". The aircraft was stall and spin proof. Marske sold the aircraft and it went through a series of owners. The XM-1 was later removed from the FAA register and likely no longer exists.

Variants

;XM-1-A :Initial configuration with wing tip fins and rudders. ;XM-1-B :with minor improvements over the XM-1-A ;XM-1-C :Modified with a central fin only. ;XM-1D :Final configuration with a central fin and rudder.

Specifications (XM-1B)

References

* * * * *

External links