HELISOAR/DU PONT HP-10 – N319Y
The HP-10 was designed by Richard Schreder and made its first flight in 1961. Richard designed the sailplane to give a low sink rate and still allow high speed travel. The HP-10 was supplied as a kit to be built by the customer.
Extremely clean, the HP-10’s long wing was constructed of eight aluminum honeycomb-sandwich panels and presented an aspect ratio of 20.6. The 32 foot flap span gave reduced sink while permitting high speed and acting as a dive brake. The fuselage was all metal, and the craft landed and took off on its single wheel.
The HP-10 was usually towed aloft by another airplane to about 2000 feet, where the sailplane was released. By seeking out rising columns of air, a pilot could stay aloft in the sailplane all day, travel hundreds of miles, and attain nearly 35,000 feet of altitude.
Stephen du Pont built his own HP-10 sailplane, which he donated to the EAA AirVenture Museum in 1968.
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