Prue 215
{{Short description|American glider}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=215 | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Glider | national origin=United States | manufacturer= | designer=Irving Prue | first flight= | introduced=1949 | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=3 | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Prue 215 is an American high-wing, V-tailed, single-seat glider that was designed by Irving Prue in 1949.{{Cite web|url = http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=1|title = 215 Prue|accessdate = 14 June 2011|last = Activate Media|year = 2006|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120819221147/http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=1|archivedate = 19 August 2012}}Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 54, Soaring Society of America November 1983. USPS 499-920
Design and development
The Prue 215 is an all-metal design with a short {{convert|40|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} wing with a relatively high aspect ratio of 20:1. The wing uses a NACA 23012 airfoil at the wing root, becoming a NACA 8318 at the wing tip. Airfoil-shaped flaps are mounted below and behind the wing for glidepath control. The aircraft uses a retractable monowheel landing gear.{{Cite web|url = http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|title = The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage|accessdate = 14 June 2011|last = Lednicer|first = David|authorlink = |year = 2010|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100420012244/http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|archive-date = 20 April 2010|url-status = dead}}
Three Prue 215s were built, all as amateur-builts from plans. The initial one was Prue's prototype. The second one was built by Ed Minghelli and later owned by Max Dreher, who mounted a jet engine on it. The second and third built are designated 215A.{{Cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=90612|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results N90612|accessdate = 14 June 2011|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |date=June 2011}}{{Cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=454Y|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results N454Y|accessdate = 14 June 2011|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |date=June 2011}}
Operational history
The second Prue 215 built was flown to second place in the 1958 US Nationals by Harold Hutchinson.
Only one Prue 215 remains listed on the Federal Aviation Administration registry.
Variants
;215
:The first aircraft constructed was designated as a Prue 215.
;215A
:The second and third aircraft constructed were given the designation Prue 215A.
:Prue 215 fuselage mated to wings from the Lyle Maxey Jennie Mae
Aircraft on display
- National Soaring Museum - one, listed as in storage in June 2011.{{cite web|url = http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html|title = Sailplanes in Our Collection|accessdate = 9 June 2011|last = National Soaring Museum|year = 2011|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110516142717/http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html|archivedate = 16 May 2011}}
Specifications (215)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Sailplane Directory and Soaring
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=40
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=90
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=20:1
|airfoil=Root: NACA 23012, tip: NACA 8318
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=340
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=540
|gross weight note=
|more general=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=29:1 at {{convert|52|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=156
|sink rate note= at {{convert|40|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=6.0
|wing loading note=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Irving Prue aircraft}}
Category:1940s United States sailplanes