Schreder HP-18


The HP-18 is a Richard Schreder-designed metal Racing Class sailplane that was offered as a kit for homebuilding during the 1970s and 1980s.

Design and development

The HP-18 is a flapped sailplane featuring a V-tail and 90-degree flaps for glidepath control. The fuselage is composed of a prefabricated composite forward fuselage and a semi-monocoque aft fuselage, and features steeply reclined seating and a side-stick controller although modifications using a conventional stick have been made.
Major features:
  • Very low cockpit with reclining seating position
  • Sidestick
  • Two-piece canopy
  • V-tail that folds upwards for easy storage
  • Wing structure composed of spars with caps pre-machined from solid aluminium plate and aluminium wing skins bonded to closely spaced foam ribs
  • Fiberglass fuselage pod, wing tip skids and tail fairings
  • Aluminium tail cone
  • Winglets added by some homebuilders
  • Water ballast carried inside the hollow aluminium wing spars
  • Typical Schreder trailing edge flaps/airbrakes partially interconnected with the ailerons

Variants

As most homebuilts, the HP-18 has been constructed with many variations in detail. Perhaps the most significant version is the Super HP-18 developed by Canadians Ed Hollestelle and Udo Rumpf, which features a modified wing airfoil, winglets, a front-hinged canopy, conventional control stick and higher ballast capacity.

Aircraft on display