Vivienne's HP18 'VB
This is a high performance homebuilt. It features a V-tail, side control stick,
and large landing flaps (no airbrakes). Vivienne has provided the following history:
"It’s a joy and a privilege to own and fly ZK-GVB – the second glider that my father had a hand in building. The fuselage kit for the HP18A (pre-formed fibreglass fuse pod and aluminium cone and tail skins) was imported from US designer Dick Schreder, arriving into NZ in 1978. Dad and Urs Locher, the son of Swiss classmate of Dad’s, worked on her until Urs’s tragic death in November 1979 in the Erebus crash. There was a lull in building until Dad found a new building partner in Dave Moody, who had been part of the Auckland syndicate that built another V-tail, the RS15. They brought the wing kit, along with optional winglets into the country in 1980. Another hiatus was caused when my father broke both ankles in an auto-tow accident in ZK-GCX, his V-tailed Std Austria, on the beach at Mahuta Gap, Northland. Once he could stand for a few hours at a time work on the glider commenced again, albeit slowly. The wings have pre-fabricated carbon fibre main wing spars, and structural foam ribs every 4 inches covered by glued and rivetted Al-Mg alloy skins. VB is not fitted to carry water ballast in the main spar as was the other HP18A built in NZ (ZK-GES). ZK-GVB was test flown by Arthur Gatland at Drury, Auckland in early December 1984. Dad and Dave having spent close to 1000 hours building (glider and trailer), and registered her with my initials, allowed me to fly VB aged 17! " |
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