Prue 215A Mamba Jet

Mr Max Dreher, un ingénieur en aéronautique, a étudié et construit toute une série de petits turboréacteur entre 1952 et 1976. Il a monté l’un d’entre eux, plus connu sous l’appellation TJD-76 Baby Mamba, sur le dos du fuselage de son planeur Prue 215A Mamba Jet.

The Prue 215 is an American high-wing, V-tailed, single-seat glider that was designed by Irving Prue in 1949. It 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