Schweizer SGP 1-1
| SGP 1-1 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Primary glider |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Mercury Glider Club |
| Designer | Ernest Schweizer |
| First flight | 19 June 1930 |
| Number built | 2 (including 1989 replica) |
The Schweizer SGP 1-1 is an American, amateur-built, single-seat, high-wing primary glider that was designed by Ernest Schweizer and constructed by the Mercury Glider Club between 1929 and 1930.
The 1-1 became the first in a line of 38 glider designs that the Schweizers created and the first of over 5700 aircraft built by them.
A replica of the original 1-1 was constructed by a group of volunteers led by Ernst Schweizer in 1989 to celebrate 50 years of Schweizer sailplane construction.
The SGP 1-1 has also been referred to as the SGU 1-1.
In 1928 J.C. Penney Jr, son of the founder of the J. C. Penney shops, provided financial backing for a glider pilot training school run by the American Motorless Aviation Corporation. In order to gain publicity AMAC sponsored some soaring flights at Highland Light, Massachusetts and South Wellfleet, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. AMAC's chief pilot, Peter Hesselbach made the first flight on 28 July 1928 in the Darmstadt I glider. This flight was of 57 minutes duration and bettered Orville Wright's record duration flight by a factor of five. Hesselbach flew again on 31 July 1928 from Corn Hill, Massachusetts and flew for more than four hours, soaring in the winds that flowed up over the dunes. This flight was given front page coverage in the New York Times.
The New York Times story greatly impressed the members of the Mercury Model Airplane Club including Atlee Hauck, Ernie Whidden, Robert Yellow and brothers Paul, Ernest and Bill Schweizer. As a result, they decided to convert the model club to a gliding club and build a primary glider. The club charged a US$5 membership fee. This rather substantial amount caused only those serious about glider flying to remain to build the aircraft, led by the Schweizer brothers.
Ernst Schweizer designed the then-unnamed primary glider, drawing inspiration from photographs of German designs then in use. The teenagers estimated that the glider would cost US$100 to complete and saved their busfare money by walking to and from school. They were not permitted to own bicycles or to hitchhike, as their father considered those methods of transportation too dangerous. They hid the glider construction project from him, even though it was built in the Schweizer's barn.
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