The Silhouette is a modern, all-composite sport aircraft designed as a kit for home-builders. It was designed in 1984 by Task Research of Santa Paula, California. About 15 Silhouettes are believed to have been built.
Task Research was founded by the father-and-son team of Jim and Rick Kern. Their primary business was component fabrication as a subcontractor to companies such as Lockheed, Northrop, and Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites. Jim Kern was the primary designer of the TR-60 Silhouette, which resembles the Rutan Solitaire of the same era.
The Museum of Flight's example is the prototype for this series and was assembled by Stanley K. Franks. He donated the aircraft in 1998. It is currently in storage at the Restoration Center and Reserve Collection in Everett, Washington.
The Silhouette is a modern, all-composite sport aircraft designed as a kit for home-builders. It was designed in 1984 by Task Research of Santa Paula, California. About 15 Silhouettes are believed to have been built.
Task Research was founded by the father-and-son team of Jim and Rick Kern. Their primary business was component fabrication as a subcontractor to companies such as Lockheed, Northrop, and Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites. Jim Kern was the primary designer of the TR-60 Silhouette, which resembles the Rutan Solitaire of the same era.
The Museum of Flight's example is the prototype for this series and was assembled by Stanley K. Franks. He donated the aircraft in 1998. It is currently in storage at the Restoration Center and Reserve Collection in Everett, Washington.