The Bowlus BZ-1 is an American single seat FAI 15 Meter Class,

V-tail The V-tail or ''Vee-tail'' (sometimes called a butterfly tail or Rudlicki's V-tailGudmundsson S. (2013). "General Aviation Aircraft Design: Applied Methods and Procedures" (Reprint). Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 489. , 9780123973290) of an aircraft ...

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 gliding ...

that was designed and built by Michael Bowlus.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 7.

Soaring Society of America The Soaring Society of America (SSA) was founded at the instigation of Warren E. Eaton to promote the sport of soaring in the USA and internationally. The first meeting was held in New York City in the McGraw–Hill Building on February 20, 193 ...

November 1983. USPS 499-920

Design and development

The BZ-1 started as a design by Clark Frazier of

Bluffton, Ohio Bluffton, originally known as Shannon, is a village in Allen and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 4,125 at the 2010 census. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated w ...

in 1967. He started construction of a glider

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 ...

from the

drop tank In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...

of a

North American F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...

and called it the ''Zeus II''. Frazier never completed the project and it was subsequently purchased by Michael Bowlus of

Worthington, Ohio Worthington is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, and is a northern suburb of Columbus. The population in the 2020 Census was 14,786. The city was founded in 1803 by the Scioto Company led by James Kilbourne, who was later elected to ...

. Bowlus constructed wings for the re-designated BZ-1, starting with the wing design of the

Schreder Airmate HP-11 The Schreder Airmate HP-11 is an American mid-wing, V-tailed, single seat glider designed by Richard Schreder.Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine'', page 19. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920 Airmate ...

, but shortened to . The wing incorporates

aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

s hinged at the bottom and a

NACA The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its assets ...

65 (3)-618

laminar flow 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 interconnected flaps and ailerons are all undercambered and assembled using the same bonded construction technique used on the Schreder HP-18. The flaps extend to 90° for landing. The BZ-1 has a retractable monowheel landing gear, a V-tail and was built from

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...

. At the time of its completion in 1983 the designer intended to add water ballast tanks to allow the carriage of of water. The BZ-1 had its first flight on September 13, 1984.Bowlus, Michael: ''The Bowlus BZ-1'', page 36.

March 1986. The aircraft was reported as complete and ready for first flight in 1983, but in May 2011, it was no longer on the

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 ...

registry.

Specifications (BZ-1)

References

{{reflist 1980s United States sailplanes Homebuilt aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1983 V-tail aircraft

Design and development

Specifications (BZ-1)

See also

References