Tipsy Nipper
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name=T.66 Nipper
|image=Tipsy Nipper Wroughton 1992R.jpg
|caption=Swiss Tipsy Nipper at Wroughton, Wiltshire, in July 1992
|type=Single-seat sporting monoplane
|manufacturer=
|designer=Ernest Oscar Tips
|first_flight=1957
|introduction=
|retired=
|status=
|primary_user=private owners
|more_users=
|produced=
|number_built=110{{harvnb|Simpson|2001|p=549}}
|variants=
}}
The Tipsy Nipper T.66 is an aerobatic light aircraft, developed in 1952 by Ernest Oscar Tips of Avions Fairey at Gosselies in Belgium. It was designed to be easy to fly, cheap to buy and cheap to maintain. It was designed for both factory production and home building. "Nipper" was the nickname of Ernest Tips' first grandchild.
The first aircraft flew on 12 December 1957, with test pilot Bernard Neefs. It featured an open cockpit and had a length of {{convert|4.56|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}, a span of {{convert|6.0|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} and a range of {{convert|400|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}, extendable with tip tanks to {{convert|720|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}.
Design and development
The aircraft has a welded steel tube fuselage and rudder with a wooden and fabric covered wing, tailplane and elevator. It weighs 165 kg without an engine. Early aircraft were equipped with a 40 hp Stamo Volkswagen air-cooled engine with later types using either 40 hp Pollman-Hepu or 45 hp Stark Stamo engines. More recently the {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 2200 engine has been used.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 120. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Production was between 1959 and 1961 with Avions Fairey delivering 59 complete aircraft and 78 kits. Avions Fairey stopped production to make capacity available for F-104G Starfighter assembly for the Belgian Air Force.
During 1962 the rights and a large assortment of uncompleted parts were sold to Cobelavia SA -Compagnie Belge d'Aviation, and they assembled 18 Nippers. The type was renamed as the Cobelavia D-158 Nipper.
In June 1966 the license was sold to Nipper Aircraft Ltd at Castle Donington and new Mk.III aircraft were built for them by Slingsby Sailplanes at Kirkbymoorside. Production was ended by the fire at Slingsby's in late 1968 and the subsequent bankruptcy. Several partly constructed Nippers were transferred to Castle Donington.
In May 1971 Nipper Aircraft Ltd. stopped work and sold the license to a company called Nipper Kits and Components, a company that helps home builders with parts and plans.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 113. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Operational history
In 2000, about 45 Nippers were still active, mostly in the UK. In 2010, 34 Nippers were registered with the British Civil Aviation Authority, where as of 2017, 19 remained.[http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=tipsy%20nipper=Nipper CAA list of Nippers]
Variants
;Tipsy Nipper T.66 Mk 1
:First production model, powered by a 30 kW (40 hp) Pollman-Hepu engine. Enclosed canopy.{{cite journal|title=Sport Aviation|date=June 1960}}
;Tipsy Nipper T.66 Mk 2
:Second production model; as first but powered by a 33.5 kW (45 hp) Stark Stamo engine.
;Nipper Mk III
:Slingsby-built for Nipper Aircraft normally with 1500 cc, 33.5 kW (45 hp) Rollason Ardem Mk X engines,{{harvnb|Taylor|1966|p=165}} 32 built.{{harvnb|Ellison|1971|pp=270–1}} Tip tanks optional.
;Cobelavia D-158 Nipper
:Production variant - 18 built {{cite journal|title=Air Progress Sport Aircraft|date=Winter 1969|page=76}}
Specification (Mk.2)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref={{harvnb|Simpson|2001|p=549}}
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=1
|capacity=
|length m=4.5
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=5.99
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|upper span m=
|upper span ft=
|upper span in=
|upper span note=
|mid span m=
|mid span ft=
|mid span in=
|mid span note=
|lower span m=
|lower span ft=
|lower span in=
|lower span note=
|swept m=
|swept ft=
|swept in=
|swept note=
|dia m=
|dia ft=
|dia in=
|dia note=
|width m=
|width ft=
|width in=
|width note=
|height m=1.88
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|swept area sqm=
|swept area sqft=
|swept area note=
|volume m3=
|volume ft3=
|volume note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=299
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|lift kg=
|lift lb=
|lift note=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Stark Stamo 1400A
|eng1 type=
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=45
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|thrust original=
|eng1 kn-ab=
|eng1 lbf-ab=
|eng2 number=
|eng2 name=
|eng2 type=
|eng2 kw=
|eng2 hp=
|eng2 kn=
|eng2 lbf=
|eng2 note=
|eng2 kn-ab=
|eng2 lbf-ab=
|eng3 number=
|eng3 name=
|eng3 type=
|eng3 kw=
|eng3 hp=
|eng3 kn=
|eng3 lbf=
|eng3 note=
|eng3 kn-ab=
|eng3 lbf-ab=
|more power=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|rot number=
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=
|rot dia in=
|rot area sqm=
|rot area sqft=
|rot area note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=162
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|max speed mach=
|cruise speed kmh=150
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=320
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=3.25
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=
|disk loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|armament=
|guns=
|bombs=
|rockets=
|missiles=
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{commons category|Tipsy Nipper}}
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book |title=British Gliders and Sailplanes |last=Ellison |first=Norman |year=1971 |publisher=A & C Black |location=London |isbn=978-0-7136-1189-2 }}
- {{cite book |title=Airlife's World Aircraft |last=Simpson |first=Rod |year=2001|publisher=Airlife |location=Shrewsbury |isbn=1-84037-115-3 }}
- {{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1966–67 |last=Taylor |first=John W. R. |year=1966 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co. |location= London |oclc=215069972 }}
{{Fairey aircraft}}
{{Slingsby aircraft}}
Category:1950s Belgian civil utility aircraft
Category:1960s British civil utility aircraft