The Parker RP9 T-Bird is an American,

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 co ...

T-tail A T-tail is an empennage configuration in which the tailplane is mounted to the top of the fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs from the standard configuration in which the tailplane ...

ed, single-seat,

FAI Open Class Competition classes in gliding, as in other sports, mainly exist to ensure fairness in competition. However the classes have not been targeted at fostering technological development as in other sports. Instead classes have arisen because of: * ...

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 Ray Parker between 1956 and 1962.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 51.

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

Parker started construction of the RP9 in 1956 and worked on it for six years until its first flight in 1962. The aircraft is of wooden structure, 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 clo ...

. The span wing employs a Wortmann FX 05-191 airfoil and features dive brakes. The aircraft takes its name from its distinctive T-tail, which was an unusual design feature when the aircraft design process was started.

singled Parker's quality of workmanship out in constructing the aircraft as worthy of note, calling it "something to behold". The T-bird was registered with 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 ...

as an ''Experimental - Amateur-built''. Only a single example was built.

Operational history

Parker flew the T-bird to an eighth-place finish in the 1962 US Nationals. He later sold the aircraft to Frank Wilson of

Orcutt, California Orcutt is an unincorporated town and census-designated place located in the Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Orcutt is named for William Warren Orcutt, the manager of the Geological, Land and Engineering Depar ...

and by 1983 the aircraft had accumulated over 480 hours of flight time. The aircraft was later transferred to the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, in

Santa Maria, California Santa Maria (Spanish for "St. Mary") is a city near the Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County. It is approximately northwest of Santa Barbara and northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Its population was 109,707 at the 202 ...

Aircraft on display

* Santa Maria Museum of Flight

Specifications (RP9)

References

{{reflist 1960s United States sailplanes Homebuilt aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1962

Design and development

Operational history

Aircraft on display

Specifications (RP9)

See also

References