2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Marine Corps gliders - Parris Island: Alfred T. Palmer· Public domain
- 2. N54301 Schweizer SGS 2-8: kitmasterbloke· CC BY 2.0
what is it?
The Schweizer SGS 2-8 is an American two-seat, mid-wing, strut-braced, training glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York. The 2-8 was originally known simply as "The Schweizer Two-Place" when it first flew in June 1938. When World War II started, the 2-8 became a military trainer for the US Army, Navy and Marines and all existing aircraft were drafted into military service.
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 88 years ago, in 1938.
- Wingspan of 15.9 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
no engine: No engine: it glides on rising air.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1938-06
- number built
- 57
- role
- open-class sailplane
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- engines
- none (glider)
- crew
- 2
- length
- 7.7 m
- wingspan
- 15.9 m
- height
- 2.1 m
- max take-off weight
- 390 kg
- top speed
- 116 km/h
- range
- —
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q7433258, Wikipedia: Schweizer SGS 2-8 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.