The Glasflügel BS-1, sometimes called the Björn Stender BS-1 or the Stender BS-1, is a
West German,
high-wing, single seat,
T-tail
A T-tail is an empennage wikt:configuration, configuration in which the tailplane of an aircraft is mounted to the top of the vertical stabilizer, fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs fr ...
ed,
FAI Open Class glider that was designed by
Björn Stender and produced by
Glasflügel.
[Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine'', page 79, Soaring Society of America November 1983. USPS 499-920]
Design and development
The prototype BS-1 was designed by Stender as the initials indicate; the BS-1 was closely based on his earlier
Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-6 Nixope, produced whilst he was still an undergraduate. Two prototypes were built by him and his three assistants in 1962. He was then a young engineering student and designed the aircraft at the request of a
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
n sailplane pilot and industrialist, producing a design that was very advanced for its time. While the designer was test flying of one of the prototypes in 1963 the aircraft suffered an in-flight structural failure and Stender was killed. Glasflügel then took over the project and re-engineered the design, based on their experience producing the
Glasflügel H-301 Libelle. The company went on to build 18 production aircraft.
The BS-1 is constructed entirely from
fiberglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is a common type of fibre-reinforced plastic, fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened i ...
and features an wing with
flaps and
dive brakes. For further glidepath control the BS-1 has a tail-mounted parachute. The landing gear is a retractable monowheel.
A planned improved model, the BS-1b, was never produced.
Operational history
The BS-1 was considered one of the first soaring "super ships" and was one of the most high-performing gliders of its time, the mid-1960s. Alfred Rohm of West Germany flew a BS-1 to a world speed record of in 1967.
Thierry Thys of
San Leandro, California
San Leandro (Spanish language, Spanish for "Leander of Seville, St. Leander") is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; between Oakland, California, Oakland to the northwe ...
flew a BS-1 on a flight in 1970. At that time it was the third-longest soaring flight ever made.
Aircraft on display
*
Frontiers of Flight Museum
*
National Soaring Museum - one, listed as in "storage"
Specifications (BS-1)
See also
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glasflugel BS-1
1960s German sailplanes
Glasflügel aircraft
T-tail aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1962