Rotondi R-1 Gheppio

R-1 Gheppio
Role	Single seat glider
National origin	Italy
Designer	Gianfranco Rotondi
First flight	1952
Status	Sole example destroyed
Number built	1

The Rotondi R-1 Gheppio (English: Kestrel) was a lightweight, single seat Italian glider. It featured a relatively short wingspan (ten meters). One example was built in the early 1950s.

Development

The Ghoppia was a cantilever mid-wing monoplane. Its straight tapered wing was built in one piece for lightness around a single spar and had marked dihedral. The outer half of the wing's trailing edge carried ailerons mounted on a false spar; trailing edge airbrakes occupied the inner portion of the wingspan. These airbrakes turned out to be rather ineffective. The wing terminated in small tip bodies.^[1][2]

The fuselage was built in two sections that bolted together. It was ovoid in cross-section, tapering aft to a conventional but integral tail. The fin was straight edged with a rounded tip and a small fillet at its base. Its rudder extended down to the keel. The tailplane was mounted on the fin near the top of the fillet, carrying elevators that had a large cut-out for rudder movement. The Ghoppia's cockpit was over the wing, under a rather prominent canopy which opened by sliding rearwards. This had perspex transparencies forwards and to the sides but was opaque rearwards and above. A skid, reaching aft to about mid-chord, and a tail bumper formed the undercarriage.^[1][2]

Partly due to the single-piece wing, the Ghoppia was unusually light with an empty weight of only 80 kg (176 lb).^[1]

Operational history

The Ghoppia was first flown from Bresso, then later from Linate, sometimes launched by aerotow. The sole example was lost in an out-landing accident during a competition organised by the aeroclub of Milan.^[1][2]

Specifications

Data from Pedrielli (2011) p. 221^[1]

General characteristics

• Capacity: One
• Length: 5.50 m (18 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 10.0 m (32 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 8.0 m² (86 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 12.5
• Empty weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
• Gross weight: 160 kg (353 lb)

Performance

• Maximum glide ratio: estimated, 23:1
• Wing loading: 20.0 kg/m² (4.1 lb/sq ft)

References

1. Pedrielli, Vincenzo; Camastra, Francesco (2011). Italian Vintage Sailplanes. Königswinter: EQIP Werbung & Verlag GmbH. pp. 220–1. ISBN 9783980883894.
2. "R1 Gheppio" (PDF). Retrieved 4 November 2013.