The Franklin PS-2 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 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 ...

strut-braced In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...

, 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 R. E. Franklin and produced by the Franklin Glider Corporation starting in 1930.Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory,

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 in ...

'', page 12. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920

Design and development

The prototype PS-2 was the wingspan ''Texaco Eaglet'', flown in 1930. The production PS-2 had shorter wings. The PS-2 is constructed with a

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

tube

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 ...

and a wooden wing, all covered in doped

aircraft fabric covering 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 ar ...

. The wings lack spoilers of other glide-path control devices and are supported by dual, parallel struts. The landing gear is a fixed monowheel and a skid.

Operational history

The prototype Eaglet performed a number of long tows, including one flown by

Frank Hawks Frank Monroe Hawks (March 28, 1897 - August 23, 1938) was a pilot in the United States Army Air Service during World War I and was known during the 1920s and 1930s as a record breaking aviator, using a series of Texaco-sponsored aircraft, setting 2 ...

from

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in 1930 and is now in the

National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the Nat ...

. In 1934, the PS-2 was the glider of choice for the ''Lustig Skytrain'' experiment. The concept was to tow three gliders in

tandem Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...

, taking off from

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and releasing one each over

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and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The gliders were piloted by

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, PS-2 designer R.E. Franklin and

Stan Smith Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946) is an American former professional tennis player. Smith is best known to non-tennis players as the namesake of a popular brand of tennis shoes. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles cham ...

. The Skytrain was intended to be a proof-of-concept for a future airline service, but was not pursued. The PS-2 was also used in 1934 for a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

primary flight training experiment in

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, designed by Ralph Barnaby The PS-2 was also flown by many early glider pilots including

Richard Chichester du Pont Richard Chichester du Pont (January 2, 1911 – September 11, 1943) was an American businessman and an aviation and glider pioneer who was a member of the prominent Du Pont family. He was the founder of the major US legacy carrier US Airways, ...

, Warren Eaton, Floyd Sweet and Stan Smith. In 1983, two were reported as being still flown and one was under restoration by the designer's son, Chuck Franklin. The

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had seven PS-2s registered in March 2011, including the Franklin-Stevens PS-2.

Variants

;Texaco Eaglet :Prototype with span wings ;PS-2 :Production model with a wingspan ;Franklin-Stevens PS-2 :Modified model ;TG-15 :United States Army Air Corps designation for eight PS-2 gliders impressed as training gliders in 1942. ;TG-17 :United States Army Air Corps designation for one PS-2 gliders impressed as a training glider in 1942 (serial number ''42-57193'').

Aircraft on display

National Museum of Naval Aviation The National Naval Aviation Museum, formerly known as the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the Naval Aviation Museum, is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Founded in 1962 and moved to its curr ...

National Soaring Museum The National Soaring Museum (NSM) is an aviation museum whose stated aim is to preserve the history of motorless flight. It is located on top of Harris Hill near Elmira, New York, United States. The NSM is the Soaring Society of America's officia ...

- four, plus one Franklin-Stevens PS-2 *

US Southwest Soaring Museum The US Southwest Soaring Museum is an aviation museum, located at 918 E US Route 66, in Moriarty, New Mexico, United States that focuses on the history of gliding in the western United States. The museum is an affiliate member of the Soaring Societ ...

Yankee Air Museum The Yankee Air Museum is an aviation museum located at Willow Run Airport in Van Buren Township, Michigan. The museum has a small fleet of flying aircraft and a collection of static display aircraft outdoors. History The Yankee Air Force Inc. w ...

, Belleville, Michigan

Specifications (PS-2)

References

External links

Photos of the PS-2 in the NSM
{{US glider aircraft 1930s United States sailplanes Glider aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1930