Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer
{{Short description|American homebuilt biplane racing aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=WC-1 Sundancer | image=N1AE Williams Cangie WC-1 (51766727560).jpg | caption=The sole WC-1 Sundancer on display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, 2021 }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type= Racing aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Ralph Thenhaus | designer=Art Williams and Carl Cangie | first flight=1974 | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed (1974) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=One | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer is an American homebuilt biplane racing aircraft that was designed by Art Williams and Carl Cangie and built by Ralph Thenhaus in 1974. Plans were at one time available from Williams' company, the Williams Aircraft Design Company of Northridge, California. Only one was built.Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 160. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. {{ISBN|0-918312-00-0}}
Design and development
The WC-1 Sundancer features an unusual biplane layout, with the upper wing just below the cockpit canopy and the lower gull wing mounted at the bottom of the fuselage. The wings are joined by a single interplane strut. It has a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The fuselage was derived from the Bushby Midget Mustang.
The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet, with the fuselage flush riveted stressed skin. Its {{convert|19.75|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing has no flaps. The engine used was the {{convert|135|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming O-290-D2 powerplant.
The aircraft has an empty weight of {{convert|835|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|1115|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|280|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|16|u.s.gal}} the payload is {{convert|184|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
On its first flight the WC-1 set a national class record of {{convert|194|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.
Operational history
Only one example was built. It was registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration in 1974.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=1AE|title = N-Number Inquiry Results|access-date = 4 November 2013|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 4 November 2013}}
The WC-1 was raced by pilot Sidney White and won the biplane class at the Reno Air Races. It also won five more class races in 1974.
Aircraft on display
- San Diego Air & Space Museum – sole example
Specifications (WC-1 Sundancer)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Plane and Pilot, AerofilesAerofiles, [http://aerofiles.com/_wh.html Williams, Williams-Gully], retrieved 4 November 2013
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|upper span ft=19
|upper span in=9
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|lower span ft=12
|lower span in=9
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|empty weight lb=835
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|gross weight lb=1115
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|fuel capacity={{convert|16|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lycoming O-290-D2
|eng1 type=four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=135
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=metal
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|max speed mph=235
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|stall speed mph=65
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000644615.html Photo of the WC-1 in the San Diego Air & Space Museum]
- [http://www.skytamer.com/Williams-Cangie_WC-1_Sundancer.html Photo of the WC-1 in the San Diego Air & Space Museum]
{{Art Williams aircraft}}
Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer
Category:1970s United States sport aircraft