HUNGARIAN GLIDERS
1933-2000
Type designation: Gyöngyös 33
Name: Gyöngyös 33
Designer: Zoltán JANKA
Class: High performance
General arrangement: Strutted high wing, open cockpit, traditional tail unit
Crew: 1
First flight: Jun. 11, 1933
Manufacturer: Workshop of MOVERO, Gyöngyös
Number of built: 1



Short history:
The Gyöngyös 33 was the first Hungarian designed glider. The MOVERO (Aviation Section of Hungarian National Defense Association) workshop at Gyöngyös had previously built primary gliders of German design. The aim of the designer was to create a glider having equal or better performance than the Professor. The glider first flew on Jun. 11, 1933. It was a 3 minutes glide.
On Jun. 25, during a 5 h 43 min flight, the glider gained 1140 m of height. This was a new Hungarian height record. On Jun. 27 a 10 h 7 min duration flight - and a new Hungarian duration record - was achieved. All these were slope flights in 6-10 m/s wind. Next year a 64 km cross country flight was achieved. The glider at present is one of the treasured items of the Hungarian Aviation Museum.

Structure:  All wooden
   Wing:
The wing had a main and a false rear spar, the latter situated at the 72,5% of the chord. The wing consisted of two half-wings which were connected to a central wing-stub on top of the fuselage. The wing was braced by 'V' struts built from larch-wood. The wing from the points of the strut connections to the wingtips was tapered. The ailerons were also tapered.
   Fuselage:
The hexagon cross section fuselage was a frame structure covered by plywood. The pilot was sitting in an open cockpit situated in the front of the wing's leading edge.
The landing gear consisted of a skid with rubber ring damping.
   Tail unit:
The leading edge of the elevator, as well as the rudder was plywood, all the other parts were fabric covered.



Larger picture | Larger picture

Dimensions:
   Wing:
     Span, m: 18,55
     Area, m2: 19,3
     Aspect ratio: 17,8
     Chord (root), m: 1,5
     Chord (tip), m: 0,3
     Airfoil (root), m: Gö 549
     Airfoil (mid-span), m: Gö 549
     Airfoil (tip), m: ?
     Dihedral, degree: 0
     Sweep, degree: 0
     Washout: ?
   Aileron:
     Span, m: 6,0
     Mean chord, m: 0,23
     Total area, m2: 2,76
     Balancing: ?
   Flap:
     Type: None
   Airbrakes:
     Type: None
   Horizontal stabilizer:
     Span, m: None
   Elevator:
     Span, m: 3,7
     Area, m2: ?
     Airfoil: ?
     Balancing: Aerodynamic
     Trim: ?
   Vertical stabilizer and rudder:
     Total area, m2: ?
     Rudder area, m2: ?
     Balancing: Aerodynamic
   Fuselage:
     Length, m: 7,37
     Width, m: ?
     Height: ?
     Cross section, m2: ?
   Landing gear:
     Type: Skid with rubber rings
Masses:
   Wing, kg: ?
   Fuselage, kg: ?
   Tail unit, kg: ?
   Empty glider, kg: 179
   Gross, kg: 250
   Ballast, kg: None
   Wing loading, kg/m2: 12,95
Speeds:
   VNE, km/h: ?
   Max. aerotow speed, km/h: ?
   Max. winch speed, km/h: ?
   Max. speed in rough air, km/h: ?
   Stall speed, km/h: ?
Performance:
   Min. sink, m/s (at gliding speed, km/h): 0,6/?
   Best L/D (at gliding speed, km/h): more than 20/55
Start methods: Bungee, Winch, Aerotow

Origin of data and 3-view drawing:
Jereb Gábor: Magyar vitorlázó repülőgépek, Műszaki Könyvkiadó, 1988, Budapest
(Gábor JEREB: Hungarian Gliders, Technical Publishing House, 1988, Budapest)

Gábor FEKECS E-mail: fekecs.gabor@t-online.hu