The Whigham GW-1 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 confi ...
, 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
Gene Whigham, a retired flight test engineer for
Convair.
[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 GW-1 was built in concert with the
Tweed GT-1 as both builders shared ideas and tools. The two aircraft share some common design features, although their wings are completely different. The GW-1 first flew in 1959 and at that time had a wingspan.
The GW-1's wings were extended in 1961 with new tips to . The constant-chord wing features a
NACA 23018
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.
...
and
flaps of 25% chord and span. The aircraft's construction is all-metal, except for the
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 ...
nose.
Only one GW-1 was built and it was registered in the ''
Experimental Amateur-built'' category.
Operational history
The GW-1 was used to complete a
diamond badge
The International Gliding Commission (IGC) is the international governing body for the sport of gliding. It is governed by meetings of delegates from national gliding associations.
It is one of several Air Sport Commissions (ASC) of the Fédérati ...
goal flight in 1961.
In July 2011, some 52 years after its completion, the aircraft was still 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 m ...
registry and owned by John Coughlin of
Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio is a city and the county seat of Val Verde County in southwestern Texas, United States. The city is 152 miles west of San Antonio. As of 2020, Del Rio had a population of 34,673.
History
The Spanish established a small settlement south o ...
.
Specifications (GW-1)
See also
References
{{Gene Whigham aircraft
1950s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1959
High-wing aircraft