Pazmany PL.1

[TsrJoe]

Whilst researching the ill-fated BAC. TSR.2 project, I came across an intriguing snippet that the aircraft, or at least a part of it may still be flying to this day !

Pazmany PL.1 Laminar ...

   The story starts with a two seat light aircraft intended for amateur construction known as the 'Pazmany PL.1 Laminar'. Concieved by Ladislao Pazmany, of the Pazmany Aircraft Corporation, (then chief design engineer for the San Diego Aircraft Engineering Company) and designed in asociation with Carlos Garrocq and Karl Sanders. Some 5,000 design hours and 4,000 hours of construction went into the prototype aircraft constructed by John Green and Keith Fowler, which was finally completed by early 1962.
The 'PL.1' made its first flight on 23rd March, 1962 piloted by Cdr. Paul Hayek, USN. and Lieut. Richard Gordon, NASA. astronaut of the Gemini and Apollo space programmes. By January 1973 this prototype aircraft had amassed over 1,800 successful flying hours.
Shortly after flight trials of the 'PL.1' began, it was decided to initiate a complete redesign of the aircraft. The developed design, the 'PL.2' being almost identical in external configuration to the earlier aircraft, although differing extensively in internal structure, to both simplify construction and reduce weight.
A total of 375 sets of plans and instructions for building the 'PL.1' had been sold to amateur and professional constructors by 1969, before the similar 'PL.2' became avaliable. Examples of the former being completed in the USA. Canada, Australia, Norway, and Japan, as well as in the UK. and a number of other countries.
   

Military Use ...

Early in 1968 the Chinese Nationalist Air Force was seeking a small aircraft suitable for the primary training role, which could be built within Taiwan and thus help revive the countries own aircraft manufacturing base. Assisted by Col. R.S. Robinson, USAF. Senior Adviser to the CNAF. The 'PL.1' was chosen as the type most suitable for this purpose. The first aircraft of this type was built by personnel of the Aeronautical Research laboratory of the CNAF. in an impressive 100 days, and was flown for the first time on 26th October 1968. The 58 production aircraft built by the AIDC. known as the 'PL.1B', differed from the basic airframe by the substitution of a 112KW. (150 HP.) 'Lycoming O-320' engine as well as having a larger rudder and other features of the 'PL.2'.
   A number of air forces in the region followed the CNAF. lead by completing examples of the 'PL.1/2' for evaluation and use in the training role, these being, Royal Thai Air Force x3 'PL.1A', x40 'PL.1B', Army x10 'PL.1B', Republic of Korea Air Force x4 'PL.2', Vietnamese Air Force x1 'PL.2', and the Indonesian air Force x6? 'PL.2'. A further development of the 'PL.2' was completed by students of the Aeronautical Technical School, 'ENET.1' in Argentina. Known as the 'PL.3 Guri', this aircraft designed for series production, differed in having internal wing fuel tanks in place of the standard wing tip tanks, a drooped LE. and a larger diameter undercarriage for use on unprepared surfaces.

The TSR.2 connection ... (to be confirmed)

   The sole ? example of the 'PL.1' on the British register G-BDHJ, was completed during 197... by ... making its first flight on ... 1971
This aircraft could almost justify being included in the TSR.2 surviving artifacts listing ... ... some of the metal destined for production TSR.2 aircraft was instead used in the manufacture of G-BDHJ ?
Currently owned by Leslie Greenbough and based at Bodmin Aerodrome, Cornwall, where at the time of writing the aircraft was undergoing a major overhaul ?



Specifications and airframe details ...

The data tabled below refers to the prototype PL.1, although the specifications are essentially similar for all aircraft of the type.

Aircraft type      : Two seat all metal cantilever low wing monoplane.
Wing Span      : 28 Ft. 0 Ins. (8.53 m.)
Wing Chord      : 4 Ft. 2 Ins. (1.27 m.) constant
Wing Area (Gross)   : 116 Sq. Ft. (10.78 m. sq.)
Wing Aspect Ratio   : 6.7
Length   (O/A.)      : 18 Ft. 11 Ins. (5.77 m.)
Height   (O/A.)      : 8 Ft. 8 Ins. (2.64 m.)
Tail Span      : 8 Ft. 0 Ins. (2.44 m.)
Structure (Wings)   : One piece single spar structure with LE. torsion box.
                  Plain piano hinged metal ailerons and flaps. 3° dihedral.
Structure (Fuselage)   : Conventional semi-monocoque structure with flat and single
                               curvature skinning.
Structure (Tail Unit)   : Swept back fin and rudder, one-piece horizontal surface with
 anti servo tab also acting as a trimming surface.
Undercarriage       : Fixed tricycle type (interchangable), steerable nosewheel.
           Track, 8 Ft. 2 Ins. (2.50 m.) Base, 4 Ft. 3 Ins. (1.30 m.)
Powerplant      : 71KW. (95HP.) Continental C90-12F flat four engine.
Fuel Capacity      : Total capacity 94 litres (2x 47 litre wingtip fuel tanks)
Accomodation      : Two seats mounted side by side with dual controls under large
  rearward sliding cockpit canopy.
Cabin Length:      : 4 Ft. 2 Ins. (1.27 m.)
Cabin Height:       : 3 Ft. 4 Ins. (1.02 m.)
Cabin Width:      : 3 Ft. 4 Ins. (1.02 m.)


References ...

Janes, All the Worlds Aircraft, 1968/69, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1973/74, 1976/77, 1979/80, 1989/90
Internet site address, http://www.totavia.com/jetman/tsr2/survivors.html#FLY
Photograph's via. Albert E. Hooper, Par, Cornwall, aviation enthusiast

[Mairfrog]

I've heard of this before. There was a link somewhere on t'internet that said 'Fly a TSR 2 (almost)' or something and had a pic of an unremarkable light aeroplane. They said something about it being made from TSR 2 earmarked metals.

If it had been made from melted down TSR 2 then that would have had more kudos. AFAIK no TSR 2 was salvaged in this way; they were all either burnt, preserved or shot to bits (apart from the one Harold Wilson gave to the soviets   ).

[TsrJoe]

...id love confirmation of its TSR. connection tho?

...hmm.an Al/Li homebuilt...mustv been fun to build in the garage  

any further info would be most appreciated (iv tried tracing its original builder/owner to no avail!)

cheers, joe  

..oh as a ps. ...one thing that WAS definately built using TSR. metal was a batch of English Electric fridge's and cooker's    (i managed to pick up one of the former for my beer!) cant put fridge magnets on it tho...probably the reason they stopped doing them, chuckle!

...now if only i could find a ref to the dress made using cut up TSR. panels too, i saw it in a mag many years ago but cant trace it now...any help?

jwc

[P1127]

Updated URL on that PL1:

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/ts...vivors.html#FLY

The old one was a bit out of date!!

[TsrJoe]

ah cheers Dave...i hadnt looked at it for a while  B)

 

[Robin]

Hi Joe, a friend of mine owned a Pazmany which he operated out of Rochester, Kent, a few years ago, will ask him to provide a few details.

Robin.  

[Frank]

...yeah il agree with simon on this one!

...id love confirmation of its TSR. connection tho?

...hmm.an Al/Li homebuilt...mustv been fun to build in the garage  

any further info would be most appreciated (iv tried tracing its original builder/owner to no avail!)

cheers, joe  

..oh as a ps. ...one thing that WAS definately built using TSR. metal was a batch of English Electric fridge's and cooker's    (i managed to pick up one of the former for my beer!) cant put fridge magnets on it tho...probably the reason they stopped doing them, chuckle!

...now if only i could find a ref to the dress made using cut up TSR. panels too, i saw it in a mag many years ago but cant trace it now...any help?

jwc

Hi Joe, I am a former half share owner of Pazmany PL1 G-BDHJ from 4th September 1985 to 2nd March 1997 I may have information of interest to you if you care to communicate with me via e-mail to Frankroca1@aol.com
You may find find My Webpage will also be of interest.

Regards, Frank

[Frank]

...as you can see from the above, im still working on the UK. part of the story!...getting there tho..if i do finally confirm the TSR.2 connection, iv an old mid.1960's US. 'Flying' magazine which includes a nice ga. drawing of the type! (a nice easy scratchbuild too!)

feel free to add any further snippets, its an ongoing work...

happy researching, cheers, joe  

Hi Joe, just in case you mis-spell my e-mail address it is,
a figure one after roca not an L. There is an e-mail link in my homepage if you have a look there. Regards Frank.

[TsrJoe]

aha..cheers Frank...nice pic of BDHJ too on your homepage...definately be interesting hearing about her..

many thanks, cheers, joe    

[TsrJoe]

...im still working on the UK. part of the story!...getting there tho..if i do finally confirm the TSR.2 connection, iv an old mid.1960's US. 'Flying' magazine which includes a nice ga. drawing of the type! (a nice easy scratchbuild too!)

feel free to add any further snippets, its an ongoing work...

happy researching, cheers, joe

ps. just wondering and its a long shot but knowing how resourceful you chaps and chapesses can be i thjought id mention it...

iv a brief mention of a 'dress' at a London fashion show back around the time of cancellation made using TSR.2 panels or electronic plates? unfortunately after a few years of looking iv as yet to find anything further on this interesting snippet of TSR.2 related information...any help or leads would be very appreciated