Czerwiński-Shenstone Harbinger
Czerwiński and Shenstone · Canada · first flew 1958 · glider
The Czerwiński-Shenstone Harbinger was a Canadian high-performance tandem two-seat sailplane of mainly wooden construction.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.62 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-set, strut-braced wings of 60 ft span
- Inner wing sections of constant chord swept forward about 17 degrees
- Tapered outer panels with unswept leading edges and elliptical tips
A high-winged wooden two-seater with a forward-swept centre section and tapered outer wings with elliptical tips.
Specifications
- The Czerwiński-Shenstone Harbinger has a length of 7.62 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.29 m (60 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 209 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed jointly by Waclaw Czerwiński and Beverley Shenstone for the British Gliding Association two-seat competition of 1947, where it came fifth. The UK-built Harbinger Mk 2 first flew at Hucknall on 26 July 1958.
Variants
Two were built: the Mk 2 in the UK and the Canadian Mk 1, which was under construction for 26 years and did not fly until 1975.
Where you'll see it
The UK aircraft was damaged in a collision in June 1959 and returned to flight in 1962. It was the highest-ranked two-seater at the Northern Glider Competition at Doncaster in July 1965 and stayed active until at least 1994.
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