Slingsby Hengist
Slingsby Aviation · United Kingdom · first flew 1942 · glider
The Slingsby Hengist was a British military assault glider of World War II, designed to carry troops and light equipment into combat without powered flight.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Troop-carrying fuselage accommodating up to 15 soldiers |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Unpowered sailplane — no engine
- Large World War II British assault glider with high-set monoplane wing
- Troop-carrying fuselage accommodating up to 15 soldiers
A large high-wing monoplane glider with a rectangular cross-section troop fuselage; the shoulder-mounted wing and slab-sided fuselage distinguish it from the Horsa's more tapered form.
Specifications
- The Slingsby Hengist has a length of 17.22 m (56 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 24.38 m (80 ft).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots + 15 troops.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Slingsby Sailplanes in 1942 to meet a wartime requirement for a medium assault glider, the Hengist was evaluated against the Airspeed Horsa. It did not enter large-scale production as the Horsa was preferred, but a small number were built and used for training.
Variants
Only the basic Hengist variant is known; it remained a prototype and limited production type.
Where you'll see it
Used in small numbers by the British Glider Pilot Regiment for training; the Horsa and Hamilcar were the principal British operational assault gliders.
Related aircraft
- Slingsby T.20
- Slingsby T.31 Tandem Tutor
- Slingsby T.4 Falcon III
- Slingsby T.3 Primary
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- Beechcraft JRB-2 Voyager
- Beechcraft JRB-3 Voyager
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