Ross RH-3
{{Short description|American glider}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=RH-3 | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Glider | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Marvin Hicks | designer=Harland Ross | first flight=1 January 1963 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user=Marvin Hicks | more users= | produced= | number built=One | developed from= Ross R-2 | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Ross RH-3 is a single seat, mid-wing glider that was designed by Harland Ross.{{Cite web|url = http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=267|title = R-3 Ross|accessdate = 8 March 2011|last = Activate Media|year = 2006|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110715225129/http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=267|archivedate = 15 July 2011}}Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 60. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
Design and development
Ross designed the R-3 as simplified version of the Ross R-2 Ibis with the intention of making the aircraft type easier to construct for amateur builders. The fuselage remained similar to the R-2, but the wing was redesigned as a straight wing, in contrast to the R-2's complex gull wing. The R-3 design was intended to be of all-wooden construction and employed a NACA 23018 airfoil section. Ross never constructed an example of the R-3.
Marvin Hicks of Aurora, Colorado purchased a set of plans and built a modified version of the aircraft over a ten-year period, culminating in a first flight on 1 January 1963. Hicks' aircraft used an increased span wing with flaps and a NACA 63 (3)-618 laminar flow airfoil. He designated the aircraft as the RH-3, indicating Ross-Hicks as contributing designers. The RH-3 proved to be a good performer in soaring contests.{{Cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=69272|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 8 March 2011|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |date=March 2011}}
Variants
Specifications (RH-3)
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|span ft=50
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|wing area sqft=146
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|aspect ratio=17:1
|airfoil=NACA 63 (3)-618
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|empty weight lb=480
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|gross weight lb=715
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|glide ratio=34:1 at 58 mph
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|sink rate ftmin=126
|sink rate note=at 40 mph
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|wing loading lb/sqft=4.9
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See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Harland Ross aircraft designs}}
Category:1960s United States sailplanes
Category:Harland Ross aircraft