The Trager-Bierens T-3 Alibi is an American
high-wing,
V-tailed, 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 and constructed by
Kempes Trager and
John Bierens.
[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 ind ...
'', page 66, Soaring Society of America November 1983. USPS 499-920
Design and development
The T-3 project was commenced in 1949, with the aircraft completed in 1951. The design aim was to produce a performance sailplane without having to build one from scratch. To achieve this goal the wings from a
Laister-Kauffmann LK-10 were used.
Using the wood and
fabric LK-10 wings, Trager and Bierens built a new-design
fuselage from
aluminium. The fuselage included a V-tail and a retractable monowheel landing gear. Later the wing was rebuilt to a new design that used the original
spar. A new tail was also built at this time. The designers spent a lot of effort getting the wing surface smooth, which paid off later in contest results. The span wing employs a
NACA 4418
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.
...
at the
wing root and a NACA 4409 at the
wing tip.
Only one T-3 was built. Originally registered as N909D, the registration was later changed to N9098. The aircraft is in the
Experimental - Amateur-built category.
Operational history
The T-3 was entered in the 1955 US Nationals, flown by Kempes and came in first in that contest. The aircraft was crashed in August 1970 and then rebuilt by Fred Daams. The aircraft was then owned by a syndicate called ''Alibi Flyers'' which remained the registered owners in June 2011.
Specifications (T-3)
See also
References
{{reflist
External links
Three view drawing
1950s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1951
V-tail aircraft