De Havilland DH.52
de Havilland · United Kingdom · first flew 1922 · glider
The de Havilland DH.52 was a single-seat, high-winged glider produced as an entrant to a 1922 prize competition. Two were built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Square-section plywood-covered fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-wing monoplane glider with wire-braced wings and a kingpost above the centre
- Square-section plywood-covered fuselage
- Fin and rudder in the characteristic de Havilland shape
A high-wing glider with a wire-braced wing, a kingpost and a boat-like nose.
Specifications
- The De Havilland DH.52 has a length of 8.23 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.24 m (50 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was de Havilland's only glider, built to compete for the Daily Mail Gliding Competition prize at Itford, Sussex, in 1922. The first machine flew on 5 October 1922.
Variants
Two were built. The first had a single cross-axle strutted undercarriage, later replaced by a pair of smaller wheels, and the second had this from the start.
Where you'll see it
Both flew in the competition on 16 October, launched by rubber rope, for about two and a half minutes each, and both were damaged on landing. Insufficient torsional stiffness in the wings led to control problems and the type was rapidly abandoned.
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- De Havilland DH.29 Doncaster
- de Havilland DH.42 Dormouse
- De Havilland DH.51
- de Havilland DH.54 Highclere
- Airdisco Phi-Phi
- Akaflieg Berlin B1 Charlotte
- Akaflieg Berlin Teufelchen
- Akaflieg Darmstadt D-6 Geheimrat
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