Currie Wot
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| Wot | |
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| Type | Single-seat aerobatic |
| Manufacturer | Homebuilt |
| Designed by | J.R.Currie |
| Maiden flight | 1937 |
The Currie Wot (pronounced as what) was a 1930s British single-seat aerobatic biplane aircraft. Plans were sold for home building of the aircraft.
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[edit] History
The Wot was designed by J.R.Currie and two examples were built by Cinque Ports Aviation Limited at Lympne in 1937. They were both powered by a single 40hp Aeronca-JAP J-99 two-cylinder engines, but had minor differences in design. They were designated the Wot 1 and Wot 2. Both were destroyed in 1940 during a World War II German air raid on Lympne. After the war Currie used the same drawings to enable the Hampshire Aeroplane Club at Eastleigh to build two more examples under the supervision of J.O.Isaacs. The first aircraft, registered G-APNT, first flew on the 11 September 1958. G-APNT was soon re-engined with a four-cylinder 60hp Walter Mikron II engine and was also trialled using floats. With the original Aeronca-JAP engine fitted it was delivered on 29 May 1959 as the personal aircraft of Westland test pilot H.J.Penrose. The second aircraft, registered G-APWT had a number of different engines fitted for trials before being delivered to Elstree Aerodrome in 1962.
Aircraft plans were sold to amateur builders and soon examples were being constructed, the first homebuilt aircraft flying in 1963. The most unusual Wots were built in 1967 by Slingsby Sailplanes Limited. Slingsby built six aircraft modified to represent the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5A for filmwork. They were powered by 115hp Lycoming engines with dummy exhausts and other modifications as 0.83 scale replicas. They were delivered to Ireland and fitted with dummy guns for the film Darlin' Lili. Some of the aircraft were also used in the films I Shot Down Richtofen, I Think, and Dubious Patriot.
The design rights for the Currie Wot were first sold to Dr.J.H.B Urmston (trading as Botley Aircraft) who sold the designs to Phoenix Aircraft Limited.
[edit] Variants
[edit] Specifications (Currie Wot)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 18 ft 3½ in ()
- Wingspan: 22 ft 1 in ()
- Height: 6 ft 9 in ()
- Wing area: 140 ft² ()
- Empty weight: 550 lb ()
- Max takeoff weight: 900 lb ()
- Powerplant: 1× Aeronca J.A.P J-99 -two-cylinder, 40hp ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: 95 mph
- Range: 240 miles ()
- Rate of climb: 600 ft/min ()
[edit] References
- Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10010 7.
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
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