US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

Author Tom D. Crouch in A Dream of Wings noted that Augustus Moore Herring in 1894 built a Lilienthal "frail glider" that weighed just 14 and 3/4 lb. I did not know this gem when I noted predictingly a few years ago in an OZ Report argument online that 15 lb will be one day a handy hang glider. Well, Herring beat me to it by over a 100 years. Herring made some hang glider flights with that less-than-15-lb hang glider Crouch noted: "the best" of the flights went 80 ft with a fall of 17 ft. That first Lilienthal glider by Herring had no rudder, but did have a horizontal stabilizing tail. I yet do not have Crouch's reference for his notes. The second Lilienthal glider by Herring came in at just over 26 lb and was more rugged; a flight by Herring in the second glider went 150 ft with a drop of 17 1/2 ft. [notes derived from page 173.] Herring was American; I nominate Herring to be an historical U. S. Hawks member.
The following photo might be the first or the second of Herring's construction of Lilienthal normal hang glider; research would be needed to determine which it is. Picture is from http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/ewright.htm
Caption of the photo: Construction of a Lilienthal glider in the United States, 1894 by A. Herring

Photo came from Lilienthal estate.

Herring built a third Lilienthal hang glider.

===========================
Our Hawk's forum member ARP (UK home) built a hang glider that looks to me to be close to a Lilienthal, but maybe a hybrid of Pilcher/Mouilard (not sure) and did some hops, as video shows in Flying Prentices. ARP, how much did you weigh and how much did your Lilienthal hang glider weigh?
Early Hang Gliding (The Flying Prentices) Part 1 video shows our contemporary ARP with contemporary Lilienthal build. How close to sizing was your build, ARP, to Lilienthal's plans? [ ] Clarification needed here.

---Eddie Paul, California inventor and hang glider builder of the 1970s (active in business today for EP Industries) built a Lilienthal-like hang glider; but I forget if it had any flight in it or not [ ] ????

JoeF wrote:I am itching to build a normal Lilienthal hang glider scaled for my weight, but using carbon fiber ... and perhaps a tweak in the airfoil ... ... And feel the beginning ....

Joe,

The weights specified for the Herring gliders seem very low compared to those of Lilienthal's machines.

I estmate the weight of the glider I produced between 40-50lbs and my weight, at the time, as 150lbs. The dimensions are close to those of Lilienthal's but bamboo rather than willow was used. What materials were used by Herring I'm not sure of but I cannot see how such a light structure would have been strong enough for him to fly safely.

The film does not show any flying as the wind was in the wrong direction on the hill that day.Later flights were made but no cameraman was available to record.

I believe Eddy Paul used an all aluminium airframe but I'm not sure if he flew it. A carbon fibre aiframe would permit a lighter construction and give a greater safety margin in flight.

Tony