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T.8 Kirby Tutor (Cadet TX.2)
Role	Sport Glider
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Slingsby Sailplanes
Designed by	John Sproule
First flight	1937
Number built	T.8 Kirby Tutor - ca 44 (+kits and wing sets) T.8 Cadet TX Mk.2 - 62
Developed from	Slingsby T.7 Kirby Kadet and BAC VII
Variants	Slingsby T.29 Motor Tutor

The Slingsby T.8 Kirby Tutor was a single-seat sport glider produced from 1937, by Fred Slingsby in Kirbymoorside, Yorkshire.

[edit] Design and development

The T.8 Kirby Tutor (a.k.a. Taper-wing Kadet) came about at the request of the Midland Gliding Club which wanted a higher performance aircraft to progress to after the T.7 Kirby Kadet. John Sproule adapted the wings from a BAC VII to fit onto the T.7 Kirby Kadet fuselage. The higher-aspect ratio wings gave a measurable increase in performance for minimum cost. Gliding clubs could also elect to buy the wings alone and fit them to Kirby Kadet fuselages as required. Post-war the absence of spoilers was rectified by a modification which was applied to most surviving aircraft.

[edit] History

The T.8 Kirby Tutor was immediately popular but only seven complete aircraft were sold before the outbreak of WWII, as well as kits of parts, spares and sets of wings (for retro-fit to T.7 Kirby Kadets). The T.8 Tutor was also produced for use by the Air Training Corps, being re-named Slingsby T.8 Cadet TX Mk.2. Sixty-two Cadet TX Mk.2s were ordered from 1944 with simple windscreens and landing wheels. Postwar Slingsby sub-contracted Martin Hearn Ltd. to build 25 new T.7 Kirby Kadets and 25 new T.8 Kirby Tutors as well as about a dozen more at Kirbymoorside. The interchangability of the components led to many hybrid aircraft having wings and fuselages of all types mixed together. During the 1960s the numbers dwindled, especially when an urgent inspection of the main-spars was called for. The cost of the inspection and resultant rectification work often exceeded the value of the aircraft, with many being withdrawn from use.

[edit] Operators

UK

Air Training Corps

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 20 ft 10 in (6.364 m)
Wingspan: 43 ft 3 3/4 in (13.24 m)
Wing area: 170 ft² (15.8 m²)
Aspect ratio: 11.1
Wing profile: Göttingen 426
Empty weight: 350.9 lb (159.5 kg)
Gross weight: 568.7 lb (258.5 kg)

Performance

Maximum glide ratio: 16:1

[edit] See also

Slingsby T.7 Kirby Kadet

Comparable aircraft BAC VII

Related lists

List of gliders

[edit] References

Ellison, N.H. British Gliders and Sailplanes 1922-1970. A & C Black, 1971
Simons, M. Slingsby Sailplanes. Airlife Publishing, 1996 - ISBN 1-85310-732-8

[edit] External links

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