Wittman DFA
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=DFA | image=Wittman DFA Little Bonzo.jpg | caption=Wittman DFA "Little Bonzo" }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Racing aircraft | national origin=United States of America | manufacturer= | designer=Steve Wittman, Bill Brennand | first flight=16 July 1948 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=1 | program cost= | unit cost= | developed from= | variants with their own articles=Wittman Buster }} |
The Wittman DFA aka Little Bonzo is a homebuilt racing aircraft designed to compete in midget racing.
Development
Steve Wittman had started air racing in 1926 using various aircraft. In March 1931, he designed his own purpose-built aircraft in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the Wittman Chief Oshkosh. After World War II, a new class of Midget air racing was formed with Wittman's efforts.{{cite journal|journal=Air Progress|title=The Competitive Edge|date=November 1978|author=Jim Larsen|page=72}} Wittman re-engined "Chief Oshkosh" and renamed it "Bonzo". After several successful races in Cleveland in 1948, a cleaner sister ship "Little Bonzo" was built. The name is a reference to Wittman's much larger racer, the Wittman D-12 Bonzo.
Design
The Wittman DFA is a mid-winged conventional geared aircraft built from a welded steel tube fuselage with aircraft fabric covering and wooden wing construction. The DFA differs slightly from Bonzo with a smaller tail surface, a longer tail and a larger canopy.
In 1968, the engine was replaced with a Continental O-200 to compete under new race rules.
Operational history
File:Wittman 1964 Reno Race.jpg
Steve Wittman and Bill Brennand alternated flying "Buster" and "Little Bonzo". The aircraft was never transported by trailer and was instead always flown to events, where Wittman would perform aerobatics between heats in his racing aircraft.
- 1948 National Air Races - Cleveland pilot Wittman placed second.
- 1949 Continental Trophy races - first place
- 1950 Rebat Trophy - first place
- 1951 Rebat Trophy - first place
- 1952 Continental Trophy races - first place
- 1964 Reno Formula One Championship - second place {{cite web|title=Race Results|url=http://www.airrace.org/race_results/results.php|accessdate=17 August 2011}}
- 1973 Goodyear race - the last competitive race for Little Bonzo.
- 1994 Wittman flew the newly restored aircraft before it was donated to the EAA museum.{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|date=June 1959}}
Variants
- The 1934 Wittman Buster rebuilt from "Chief Oshkosh" was the basis for Little Bonzo.{{cite web|title=SJ Steve Wittman|url=http://www.aviationhalloffamewisconsin.com/inductees/wittman.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010413035103/http://www.aviationhalloffamewisconsin.com/inductees/wittman.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 13, 2001|accessdate=7 June 2011}}
Aircraft on display
Specifications (Wittman DFA "Little Bonzo")
{{Aircraft specs
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|range miles=520
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See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2PZBIxQ8XQ Interview with Steve Wittman]
{{Wittman aircraft}}
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft