Watson GW-1 Windwagon
{{Short description|American recreational ultralight designed in 1976 by Gary Watson }}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name = GW-1 Windwagon | image = | caption = }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type = recreational ultralight | national origin = United States | manufacturer = homebuilt | designer = Gary WatsonTaylor 1987, p.723 | first flight = April 19, 1977Dwiggins 1980, p.103 | introduced = | retired = | status = | primary user = | more users = | produced = | number built = | program cost = | unit cost = | developed from = | variants with their own articles = }} |
The Watson WG-1 Windwagon is a single-seat recreational ultralight designed in the United States in 1976 and marketed for homebuilding. Designer Gary Watson originally sold kits as well as plans, but later sold only plans.
Design and development
The Windwagon is a low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional design with fixed, tricycle undercarriage, and a single-seat open cockpit.Markowski 1984, p.261 Construction is of pop-riveted metal throughout. The outer wing panels are removable to facilitate hangering and trailering.Dwiggins 1980, p.102
Power is supplied by an air-cooled, tractor-mounted piston engine driving a propeller. The engine selected by Watson was an automotive Volkwagen air-cooled engine sawn in half across its crankcase to turn the flat-four engine into a flat-two (a modification called a "half VW"). Plans for the Windwagon included instructions for modifying a Volkswagen engine this way.
By 1987, Watson had sold over 1,025 sets of plans, and over 500 Windwagons had been built around the world.
The Hummel Bird is a development of this design.
Specifications (as designed)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1987-88, p.732
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=1 pilot
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=13
|length in=0
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|span m=
|span ft=38
|span in=0
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|height m=
|height ft=3
|height in=6
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=54
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=273
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=485
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Half VW
|eng1 type=2-cylinder horizontally opposed air-cooled piston automotive engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=30
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|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=135
|max speed kts=
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|cruise speed mph=100
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|stall speed note= (flaps and undercarriage down)
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
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|range km=
|range miles=300
|range nmi=
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|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=12000
|ceiling note=
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|climb rate ftmin=450
|climb rate note=max. climb at sea level
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|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=8.98
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References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book |title=31 Practical Ultralights You Can Built |last=Dwiggins |first=Don |year=1980 |publisher=TAB Books |location=Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania }}
- {{cite book |title=ARV: The Encyclopedia of Aircraft Recreational Vehicles |last=Markowski |first=Michael A. |year=1984 |publisher=Aviation Publishers |location=Hummelstown, Pennsylvania }}
- {{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1987-88 |editor1-last=Taylor |editor1-first=John W.R. |year=1987 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |location=London }}
Category:1970s United States sport aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1977