- 8 ▁was ▁designed ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁less ons ▁learned ▁in ▁flying ▁the ▁H P - 7 ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁US ▁National s . ▁The ▁H P - 7 ▁was ▁destroyed ▁in ▁an ▁a ero - t ow ing ▁accident ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁National s ▁and ▁Sch re der ▁decided ▁to ▁improve ▁on ▁the ▁earlier ▁design ▁with ▁the ▁H P - 8 . ▁As ▁in ▁all ▁of ▁Sch re der ' s ▁designs , ▁the ▁H P ▁stands ▁for ▁" high ▁performance ". ▁ ▁The ▁H P - 8 ▁is ▁an ▁all - met al ▁design ▁with ▁a ▁very ▁high ▁aspect ▁ratio ▁wing ▁of ▁ 2 4 : 1 , ▁that ▁incorpor ates ▁a ▁N AC A ▁ 6 5 ▁( 3 )- 6 1 8 ▁air fo il . ▁The ▁wing ▁is ▁of ▁only ▁ 1 1 0 ▁square ▁feet ▁( 1 0 ▁m 2 ) ▁in ▁area ▁and ▁this ▁gives ▁a ▁high ▁wing ▁loading ▁of ▁ 7 . 5 3   l bs / sq ▁ft ▁( 3 6 . 8   kg / m 2 ), ▁allowing ▁a ▁high ▁gli de ▁ratio ▁at ▁a ▁high ▁speed . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁H P - 8 ▁was ▁entered ▁by ▁Sch re der ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁US ▁National s ▁and ▁placed ▁first . ▁Sch re der ▁set ▁records ▁with ▁the ▁aircraft ▁in ▁all ▁three ▁speed ▁categories ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁also ▁fle w ▁it ▁to ▁first ▁place