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The Porterfield CP-50 / 65 Collegiate is a two seat tourer which first flew in 1937. Powered by either a 50hp or 65hp Continental engine (hence the alternative designations), it has a cruising speed of 110mph and range of 300 miles. It is 22 feet 6 inches long, with a wing span of 34 feet 9 inches. Gross weight is 1,200lb. They are rare in Europe, these two being the only examples in the UK.

Top: CP-65 at Cranfield, date uncertain

Bottom: CP-50 at Cranfield in July 1983.

It is interesting to compare the Rearwin 8500 Sportster with the Porterfield series, above. It is also a two seat tourer. It is more powerful, being powered by an 85hp LeBlond five cylinder radial. It is correspondingly heavier, grossing 1,460lb. It carries more fuel, therefore has greater range: 475 miles. It flew two years earlier, in 1935. Dimensions are very similar: 22 feet 3 inches long and 35 feet wing span. And cruising speed, at 115mph, is almost identical. Around 50 were built; and they are similarly rare, with the remaining examples being looked after lovingly, as this one.

Picture taken at Cranfield, 1998

The Republic RC3 Seabee was designed by Percival Spenser as the Spenser Air Car, as which it first flew in August 1941. Although evaluated by the coastguard as the OA-15, it was not used in the war. Republic bought the design and developed it, with the first Seabee flying in November 1944. It is a reasonably large four seater seaplane, grossing up to 3,250lb. Its high aerodynamic drag keeps the cruising speed down to 100mph, but range is a respectable 560 miles.  Wing span is 37 feet 8 inches and length 27 feet 11 inches. It can be powered by a variety of engines ranging from 215 to 295hp. About 1,060 were built.

This one was at Paine Field in September 1981.

The Rockwell Commander 112 is David's current mount, as part of a syndicate of four joint owners. Compared with the Cherokee Arrow it is comfortable and spacious, with more of a luxurious feel. The downside is that, with the big wide cabin causing extra form drag, fuel consumption is a bit higher. It is a four seater, grossing up to 2,800lb and cruising at 120kt (132mph) over a range of up to 650 miles. It is powered by a 200hp Lycoming IO-360 engine. It is 25 feet 1 inch long with a wing span of 35 feet 8 inches. Since its first flight in December 1970, about 830 were made.

Top: Picture by Dennis at Top Farm in 2004.

Bottom: At Breighton, June 2007

The Rockwell Commander 114 is a more powerful upgrade of the 112, with a 260hp Lycoming IO-540 engine and a shorter wing (32 feet 9 inches) giving a higher wing loading. The result is a faster (140kt/155mph) cruising speed and longer (800 miles) range. Gross weight rises to 3,140lb, mainly due to the heavier engine and more fuel. It first flew in 1976. Around 540 were made until Rockwell discontinued light aircraft production. The design was then bought by Commander Aircraft who continue to produce it, having made over 100 to date.

This one (a 114TC) was visiting Top Farm in October 2007.

The Rockwell Thrush Commander is another of the designs bought up by Rockwell in their acquisition spree in the late 1950s. It was originally designed by Leland Snow, and called the Snow S-2, and first flew as such in 1958. It is powered by a 600hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine; this enables it to cruise at 125mph and haave a range of 470 miles. Gross weight is 6,000lb, of which 2,600lb is useful load, including pilot and fuel as well as agricultural chemicals for spraying. It is 27 feet 6 inches long, with a wing span of 44 feet 5 inches. 250 were built.

This one was at Chandler, September 1981

The Ryan Navion is one of the best four-seat tourers of the post war period. Designed in a hurry by North American at the end of the war, it utilised P-51 Mustang components and first flew in 1946. Initial power was a 185hp Continental, but this was quickly replaced by a 260hp  Lycoming GO-435. The sliding canopy makes entry and exit very convenient. The US Army bought large numbers as L-17 liaison aircraft; 2,200 were built in all. It cruises at 175mph, and has a range of 1,600 miles. It is 27 feet 6 inches long, with a wing span of 33 feet 5 inches. Gross weight is 2,850lb. The design was later updated with a faired cabin, extra wingtip fuel tanks, and a 285hp engine, and renamed the Rangemaster.

Top: Ryan Navion at Cranfield, July 1983

Bottom: (to verify!)

With  about 4,000 made, the Stinson L-5 Sentinel was one of the more widespread and purposeful of the liaison aircraft used in the second world war. Essentially a ruggedised Voyager, it could normally seat either two people or pilot plus stretcher. It was very strong and had excellent short take-off and landing (STOL) handling characterictics, making it ideal for operation into and out of rough, semi-prepared forward airstrips. A Piper Cub could do the same, but was easier to break, and could not carry as much: with a gross weight of 2,050lb, the L-5 had 600lb of payload (including fuel). It first flew in 1941. Powered by a 190hp Lycoming O-4435 engine, it could cruise at 112mph over a range of 400 miles; top speed was 130mph.

There were two main versions: the basic `observer' version had the wrap-around rear window, and the `ambulance' version (l-5B to G) had the straight rear fuselage. The US Navy operated some under the designation OY.

Top: an L-5B at Cranfield in July 1987. Bottom: L-5 at San Andreas in September 1981, with a very unusual radial engine conversion (a Continental W-670).

 

The Stinson Voyager is a three seat light touring aircraft, which first flew in 1939. Initial versions were powered by a 75hp Continental engine, but later versions were upgraded to 90hp. It is quite heavy for the power, grossing 1,625lb. Wing span is 34 feet 6 inches, and length 22 feet 3 inches. During the war, a few civil Voyagers were impressed into USAAF service as L-9s, and the type was evaluated for possible observation use as the YO-54.

This Voyager was at Cranfield in July 1988.

The Taylorcraft BC12D was one of a series of aircraft designed by C.G. Taylor, creator of the Piper Cub, after he and Piper parted ways in 1936. Developments included an improved wing with lower drag, a fully cowled engine, and side by side seating. It is powered by a 65hp Continental A65 engine, and weighs in at 1,200lb gross weight. Over 4,200 BC12s were made, plus smaller numbers of several other models.

This one was at Kemble in July 2005.

The Thorp T211, sometimes called Sky Scooter, is a delightful little aircraft to fly. (Of all the aircraft I have flown, it is the easiest to hold a precise speed on final approach). `Little' is the word - only 18 feet long and with a 25 foot wing span, it has a cosy two seat cockpit. You don't get into it so much as put it on. It was designed in the mid 1940s by John Thorp, later to design the Piper Cherokee. Top speed is 120mph and range, 375 miles.

Though normally powered by a 100hp Continental O-200 engine, the one in this picture is being used as a test bed for the Wilksch Diesel engine, and was seen at Kemble in July 2005.

The Varga Kachina 2150 is a two seat training and light touring aircraft which originally flew in 1958 as the Morrisey 2150. Design rights passed to Shinn Engineering, then to a Mr Varga, who built it as the Varga Kachina. It is powered by a 150hp Lycoming O-320 engine, giving it a cruising speed of 135mph and range of 525 miles. Length is 21 feet 3 inches and wing span 30 feet. About 200 of all versions were built.

This one was seen on a grey day at Wroughton in 1988.

The Waco YKS-7 was a 1937 design from the Weaver Aircraft Manufacturing Company (WACO). It is a four to five seat cabin biplane, powered by a 225hp Jacobs radial engine. This gives it a gross weight of 3,250lb, cruising speed of 130mph and range of 590 miles. It is 25 feet 3 inches long, with a wing span of 33 feet 3 inches. The designation tells all: Y means the Jacobs engine, K means a 1934 cabin design, and S means Standard layout. The 7 refers to this being the 1937 model.

This is the only one in the UK, and was seen at Cranfield, date uncertain.

The Waco YMF-5C was originally built in the mid 1930s in significant numbers. New aircraft are being built by Classic Aircraft, with updated materials, systems and avionics. Since re-starting production in 1986, about 100 have been made. It is a sturdy three seat open cockpit biplane, powered by a 275hp Jacobs R-755 engine. It weighs in at 2,950lb gross weight, cruises at 120mph and has a range of 330 miles. Length is 23 feet 3 inches and wing span (upper wing) 30 feet. The designation decodes as above: Y = Jacobs engine, M = 1934 open cockpit design, F = tandem layout, 5 means 1935 model.

This very smart example was at Kemble in July 2005.

The Windecker Eagle was the first all-composite aircraft to be certificated by the FAA. It was designed by Leo Windecker of the Dow Chemical Company to prove the concept of composite materials for significant structures. It first flew in January 1969, powered by a 285hp Continental engine. It is a four seater, with cruising speed of 205mph, range of 1,230 miles, gross weight of 3,400lb, length 28 feet 5 inches and wing span 32 feet. Like many pioneering aircraft it was only modestly successful, only nine being built before the company ran out of money. One was evaluated by the US Air Force as the YE-5, to test the stealth characteristics of composite materials. All pilots of F-117s and F-35s, and constructors of Vari-Ezes, Europas and the like, have Windecker to thank for blazing their trail.

This Eagle was at Paris-Le Bourget in 1979.