Prue 215

Design and development

The Prue 215 is an all-metal design with a short 40 ft (12.2 m) wing with a relatively high aspect ratio of 20:1. The wing uses a NACA 23012 airfoil at the wing root, becoming a NACA 8318 at the wing tip. Airfoil-shaped flaps are mounted below and behind the wing for glidepath control. The aircraft uses a retractable monowheel landing gear.

Three Prue 215s were built, all as amateur-builts from plans. The initial one was Prue's prototype. The second one was built by Ed Minghelli and later owned by Max Dreher, who mounted a jet engine on it. The second and third built are designated 215A.

Operational history

The second Prue 215 built was flown to second place in the 1958 US Nationals by Harold Hutchinson.

Only one Prue 215 remains listed on the Federal Aviation Administration registry.

Variants

215

The first aircraft constructed was designated as a Prue 215.

215A

The second and third aircraft constructed were given the designation Prue 215A.

Brown Rebel

Prue 215 fuselage mated to wings from the Lyle Maxey Jennie Mae

Aircraft on display

National Soaring Museum - one, listed as in storage in June 2011.

Specifications (215)

Data from Sailplane Directory and Soaring

General characteristics

Crew: one

Wingspan: 40 ft (12 m)

Wing area: 90 sq ft (8.4 m²)

Aspect ratio: 20:1

Airfoil: Root: NACA 23012, tip: NACA 8318

Empty weight: 340 lb (154 kg)

Gross weight: 540 lb (245 kg)

Performance

Maximum glide ratio: 29:1 at 52 mph (84 km/h)

Rate of sink: 156 ft/min (0.79 m/s) at 40 mph (64 km/h)

Wing loading: 6.0 lb/sq ft (29 kg/m²)