In 1966 John Sellars, the new Slingsbys chief engineer made a design study for the T-52 – a proposed 14.6 meter tandem two seater aimed at replacing the ATC fleet of Cadet TX Mk,3 and Sedbergh TX Mk.1 gliders. The T-52 was never built but led to the T-53 prototype which flew the following year.
The T-53 was a metal skinned aircraft with 16.76 Metre flapped wing and tandem cockpits. The ATC was interested and placed a provision order for 40 aircraft in 1967. Initially this was subject to new requirements which included the ability to fly with open cockpits, the deletion of the flaps and addition of tailwheel. The open cockpit requirement was dropped after testing (as was the idea of fixing the airbrakes half open), and the T53B produced without flaps and with a lengthened nose and other minor changes.
The second prototype was painted in Air Cadet colours and entered service as XV951 continuing in use until scrapped after a heavy landing at Cranwell in 1972.
A small number of T53B’s were produced for civilian use although the handling & soaring performance was never highly regarded. The ATC called for further modification and a T53C was planned, but the disastrous fire at Slingsbys in November 1968 effectively stopped further development.
Photograph above is taken from Slingsby Sailplanes, by Martin Simmons (out of print)