Country of origin:

Australia

Description:

Two-seat military basic trainer

Power Plant:

One 559 kw (750 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25C Turboprop

Specifications:

Armament:

Nil

History:

In the late 1970s the Australian Government was looking at replacing the AESL CT-4 Airtrainer in RAAF service for training duties. On 1 December 1981 the Government announced than an Australian design would be pursued. On 16 June 1982 it announced that a contract had been let with the Australian Aircraft Consortium Pty Ltd (AAC) for the design, development, and construction of two prototypes of a new basic trainer (designated AST5044) for the RAAF.

This programme envisaged that the first flight of the prototype would be made in February 1985, completion of RAAF acceptance trials in April 1987, and subsequent entry into RAAF service in 1988.  The RAAF reported there was no existing trainer to fill the requirement, primarily because side-by-side seating had been specified in preference to tandem configuration.

AAC was set up by the Government Aircraft Factory, Hawker de Havilland, and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, to design the new trainer. Manufacture of the aircraft would be sub-contracted out to those companies.  The new trainer was designed to replace the CT-4 Airtrainer in service, and the requirement was for two prototypes and 69 production aircraft, although the manufacturers hoped to see further examples sold on the world market, believing there could be a market for 200 aircraft. At the time it was stated any overseas designed aircraft had to be modified to meet RAAF requirements and to fit specifically required equipment. The A-10 was specially designed for low in-service costs. Roll-out of the prototype was planned for December 1984.

It was envisaged at the time that the new trainer would train pilots for their first 100 hours on turboprop trainers rather than for the then current 60 hours on AESL CT-4s prior to moving to the Macchi MB-326. The most sought-after requirements were for a more durable aircraft with a fatigue life of 8,000 hours, better aerodynamic performance, and low maintenance costs.  In November 1982 the new Basic Pilot Training Aircraft was allocated the RAAF A23- series identification.  In June 1983 a model was constructed, taken to France and placed on display at the Paris Air Show.  In August that year an engineering mock-up had been completed at the Government Aircraft Factory (GAF) facility at Fishermens Bend, VIC and was shown to the media.

The Wamira was designed for ab initio pilot training, aerobatics, cross-country navigation exercises, and introductory weapons training, it being intended that the performance of the aircraft would be adequate for the first 100 hours of pilot training, whereas the CT-4 was only suitable for the first 50 to 60 hours.  The structure of the aircraft was of all metal stressed-skin, using some advanced composite materials, providing a service life of 8,000 flying hours spread over a life of 20 years. In addition to having a turboprop engine, it was to have an electrically operated tricycle undercarriage designed for grass or semi-prepared surfaces. Seating was provided for two pilots, side-by-side, with room in the rear of the cockpit for an extra two seats, if required, or additional equipment.

The Wamira was designed to sustain 2.5G at 3,048 m (10,000 ft) and have sufficient fuel for two consecutive 1½ hour sorties with 48 mins holding fuel. Equipment proposed to meet RAAF requirements was to include UHF, VHF, I/C, gyrocompass, transponder, Tacan, ADF, cockpit environmental control system, and an oxygen system.

In 1984 the RAF called for tenders for a trainer to meet the Royal Air Force’s AST-412 basic trainer requirement to replace the Jet Provost, it being said up to 150 aircraft would be required. AAC at the time was also hoping to gain sales from other parts of Europe, including France. After evaluating 17 designs, a short list of four types was announced, including the Wamira. The fuselage did not need to be changed for the RAF requirement as the Australian A-10 had been designed with an option of a third seat behind the front two. A mock-up of the RAF variant was built, known as the A-20, and this differed from the Australian A-10 in having tandem seating and a cockpit described as “virtually identical to that of the Hawk”.  This mock-up consisted of a fuselage from the tailfin fillet forward with stub wings, constructed of wood and alloy, and fitted with ejection seats, control columns and rudder pedals.

A new company, AAC-Westland Ltd, was formed at Yeovil in Somerset in the United Kingdom by PLC and Australian Aircraft Consortium Pty Ltd to promote the A-20 to the RAF and to market both the side-by-side and tandem two-seat variants in Europe, the A-20 being said to be the prime contender for the 100 plus order for the RAF to meet the requirement (AST 412) for a turbo-prop training aircraft.  The mock-up was air freighted to the United Kingdom for display at the Farnborough Airshow on the Westland stand in 1984.  The British variant was to have the PT6-25D engine and be known as the AAC-Westland A-20. A team of Westland engineers was sent to Melbourne, VIC to work on cockpit modifications to meet the RAF specification.

In the United Kingdom Westland was to manufacture 50 per cent of the airframe, carry out final assembly and flight testing, and provide product support for the machine in RAF service. After the 1984 Farnborough Airshow the engineering mock-up was taken back to Oldmixon in Somerset where it was placed in storage.  In the event, the Australian proposal was excluded from the competition, the RAF ordered the Embraer Tucano and the A-20 was never built.

A competition was held to give the new Australian trainer a name, trainers up to this stage having been given Aboriginal names. Wamira was chosen in November 1983, this being a derivative of the Woomera throwing stick.  In July 1985 Hawker de Havilland and CAC amalgamated and bought the remaining interest from GAF, the Australian Aircraft Consortium then becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Hawker de Havilland.  However, the attempts to obtain the British order had diverted time and money away from the development of the A-10 for the RAAF and led to the programme getting behind schedule.

In July 1985 the Australian Cabinet announced it was asking Hawker de Havilland to take over the A-10 project and submit a new bid in competition with Pilatus and Shorts. The latter ultimately did not bid for the RAAF order but the Government’s decision to introduce overseas competition after three years of development on the A-10 project costing $60 million was of concern to the Australian manufacturers. In December the Company approached the Government to obtain endorsement of the A-10B which the company said addressed the Government’s concerns. Hawker de Havillands bid with a fixed price per aircraft, stating the price had decreased, and the bid was $100 million below earlier estimates, the cost reductions coming via a critical review of the design and negotiations with sub-contractors and equipment suppliers.

The company announced, having come up with a better design, it was then re-pricing it in accordance with the very best production performance of the Australian aircraft industry.  It was said the RAAF’s specification on which the A-10B was based was highly regarded by other air forces.  It was also the only new-generation turboprop trainer available with side-by-side seating.  The company stated in its presentation that the A-10B was the only RAAF trainer operation guaranteeing 100 per cent Australian airframe content.  Australia would also have the right to sell anywhere in the world as opposed to being restricted to sales areas handed out by an overseas company.

All work on the project ceased in March 1986.  At one stage it was announced that the industry was on the verge of the biggest, most exciting development in history – a deal with China that could exceed $3 billion to co-develop and build the Wamira trainer, a memorandum of understanding with the China National Aerotechnological Export and Import Corporation being signed to investigate alternatives covering collaboration in developing and building the Wamira, plus selling it to other countries.

On 17 December 1985 the Australian Government cancelled the Wamira project, stating it was over budget, ie the total project costs had more than doubled, and was 13 months behind schedule. In lieu it ordered the Swiss-built Pilatus PC-9.  At that stage the prototype (c/n 01) had still not been completed, although was close to flying, and a second aircraft (c/n 02) was also nearing completion, this being for static testing.

The decision to purchase the tandem-seating PC-9 was a complete reversal of the original requirement, and had the design of the Wamira proceeded initially as a tandem-seat trainer for both the RAAF and the RAF the situation may well have been much different in the long term, rather than expending effort on two different designs. In the event the CT-4, which was to be replaced, remained in service for some further time and the PC-9 was used only as an advanced trainer.

The prototype A-10B, together with the mock-up, production jigs etc, was delivered to RAAF Wagga, NSW in mid 1987 as a training aid, later being moved to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and later again going to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook, VIC where it was placed on display.  In  2019 it was exchanged with the National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin, VIC for major components of an Avro Lincoln which had been obtained from overseas some years before. The Wamira was expected to be completed at Moorabbin for display purposes.

The design rights of the Wamira were obtained in 2000 by Endeavour Aerospace of Hoppers Crossing, VIC.  Consideration was given to producing it as a trainer for aero clubs and as a private utility aircraft, the company stating it had been formed in 2000 to create an Australian general aviation export business, and would develop the Wamira for the general aviation market at a competitive price, with emphasis on the US private aircraft market.  However, by late 2019 nothing further was known to have happened in relation to further development and production of hardware.

As noted, the A-20 mock-up was taken to the United Kingdom and was at the Westland Helicopters facility at Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset until 1986 when that facility was closed.  An interested group in Australia obtained this mock-up from the United Kingdom. It was shipped to Australia in 2012 and placed in storage in Melbourne pending restoration and display in a museum.  Most of the A-10 mock-up was held with the Wamira prototype at the RAAF Museum.  The ultimate fate of the second prototype Wamira is not known.