Latimer-Needham Albatross
RFD Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1930 · glider
The Latimer-Needham Albatross was the first British-designed and built sailplane, flying in 1930.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | V-shaped ventral extension of the fuselage carrying a skid, later with twin wheels |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Cantilever high wing with a constant-chord centre section and straight-tapered outer panels
- Open single-seat cockpit at the wing leading edge with a fairing reaching aft beyond the trailing edge
- V-shaped ventral extension of the fuselage carrying a skid, later with twin wheels
A wooden high-wing glider whose wing carries a narrow cockpit at its leading edge, with a fairing behind the pilot's head.
Specifications
- The Latimer-Needham Albatross has a length of 6.3 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.8 m (42 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The RFD Company constructed the Albatross to C.H. Latimer-Needham's design. It was a conventional wooden single-seat aircraft with ailerons over most of the outboard wing and no flaps or air brakes.
Variants
Only one example was built. Originally it landed on a skid, and twin landing wheels were fitted later.
Where you'll see it
It received its Certificate of Airworthiness in October 1930 and appeared at the Glider Show at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, in May 1931. It was later sold to Edwin Griffis, who was killed on 12 August 1936 when the wing failed during a launch at Ireleth.
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