SZD Open Jantar

DEVELOPMENT and DESCRIPTION

Types like the SZD-31 Zefir 4 and the SZD-24 Foka series had demonstrated that sailplanes of up to date wooden construction could achieve as high a degree of streamlining as any glassfibre designs, and could make their mark in the World Championships and other contests. Perhaps because of this Poland was comparatively late in attempting an all-glassfibre design, the first SZD type in this category being the prototype Open Class SZD-38 Jantar-1 single-seater (or Amber) of 19m span, designed by Dipl-Ing Adam Kurbiel, which first appeared in public at the 1972 World Championships at Vrsac, Yugoslavia, where it came 3rd in the Open Class and won the OSTIV cup for the best 19m design; in the following year it set up seven new Polish national records.

Originally designated SZD-42A, the Jantar 2 high performance Open Class single-seater was developed by Dipl-lng Adam Kurbiel from the all plastics SZD-38A Jantar-1 of which a small number had been built; the Jantar 2 made its first flight on 2 February 1976. The first two prototypes were flown by the Polish team in the 1976 World Championships in Finland, where they came 2nd and 3rd in the Open Class flown respectively by J. Ziobro and H. Muszczynski. These two Jantars had wings built in two sections whereas the production aircraft have the wings built in four pieces for ease of rigging and trailer transport; one of the latter aircraft, flown by R. Johnson of the USA, came 7th in the Open Class in the 1976 World Championships.

Altogether 23 Jantar 2s had been built by the beginning of 1979, and these differ from the Jantar Standard chiefly in having wings of 20.5m (67ft 3in) span and a low-set tailplane with elevators and no tabs. Up to 287lb of water ballast can be carried, and when it is the g limits of the airframe are +4.0/- 1.5, or +5.3/-2.65 g without the water ballast. The Jantar 2 is of all glassfibre construction very similar to the Jantar Standard; unlike the latter it has single-spar wings are of ribless construction with foam filled glassfibre/epoxy resin sandwich skin incorporating hingeless trailing edge flaps hung from the upper surfaces, as well as light alloy DFS-type air brakes in both the upper and lower wing surfaces. The fuselage is an all-glassfibre/epoxy resin shell structure, the centre portion of which has a steel tube frame which couples the wings, fuselage and landing gear. The cantilever tail unit is of glassfibre/epoxy resin and there is a retractable monowheel and a tailskid instead of a tailwheel.

Latest version is the SZD-42-2 Jantar 2B, which is very similar to the Mk 2 but with the wings raised from the mid to the shoulder position and the incidence reduced slightly. Up to 375lb of water ballast can now be carried, and the Jantar 2B features improvements to cockpit comfort, the monowheel retraction system and the elevator spring trim; there is provision for a towing hook on the cg. The Jantar 2B made its first flight on 13 March 1978 and 32 had been built by the beginning of 1980.

PERFORMANCE DATA

 

Three Axis View SZD Jantar 2

GGC's Syndicate – VH-GOD

The GGC syndicate Jantar VH-GOD is one of two Jantars brought to Australia by the Polish team for the World Championships at Waikerie in 1974. They were the original prototypes of the Open Jantar 1, which had competed in the World Championships at Vrsac, Yugoslavia, in 1972, where VH-GOD placed third. Their performance at Waikerie was limited being 19 meter gliders (most of the open class gliders of that year were 20 meters plus), and they were subsequently sold locally following the comps.

Other features peculiar to these prototypes were the wings being each constructed as a single unit. The aircraft was fitted with a belly mounted combination winch/aerotow release. A modification to trial a purpose mounted winch release, while resulting in improved performance, was not proceeded with. A modification to the wheelbrake has improved performance over the original. The glider has recently been refinished in polyurethrane.

The glider is currently operated by a syndicate of four members. As well as the world, national and state competitions the glider participated in the Great Australian Bicentennial Glider Race.

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