Photograph:
Wren 460 VH-RAJ (c/n 5-460-182G) at Benalla, VIC in February 1975 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Four-seat STOL cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 172 kw (230 hp) Continental O-470-R six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 11.02 m (36 ft 2 in)
- Length: 8.33 m (27 ft 4 in)
- Height: 2.74 m (9 ft)
- Wing area: 16.17 m² (174 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 257 km/h (160 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 246 km/h (153 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 329 m/min (1,080 ft/min)
- Stalling speed [clean]: 80 km/h (50 mph)
- Stalling speed with undercarriage and flaps down: 68 km/h (42 mph)
- Range at max cruise: 1,403 km (872 miles)
- Range at economical cruising speed: 1,851 km (1,150 miles)
- Take-off run: 91 m (300 ft)
- Landing run: 61 m (200 ft)
- Fuel capacity [standard]: 246 litres (54 Imp gals)
- Fuel capacity [optional]: 318 litres (70 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 776 kg (1,710 lb)
- Useful load: 494 kg (1,090 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,270 kg (2,800 lb)
History:
The Wren 460 was a short take-off and landing conversion of the Cessna 182 using an ultra-low-speed control system devised by James L Robertson. New Cessna 182 airframes were obtained and four modifications were made: full-span, double-slotted flaps were fitted to increase lift coefficient; the wing section nose radius was increased to postpone wing stall to a 20 degree angle of attack; two small articulated control surfaces on the nose of the aircraft were added immediately behind the propeller to use the propeller slipstream in slow-flight pitch control; and five feathering drag plates were fitted to each wing upper surface to overcome adverse aileron yaw, decrease lift, and increase drag on the low-wing during a turn. An optional reversible pitch propeller was available if required. As a result of these modifications, the Wren 460 could take-off and clear a 14.24 m (50 ft) obstacle in 180 m (590 ft), and land from that altitude within 186 m (610 ft). An endurance of over fifteen hours could be achieved.
The aircraft was produced by Wren Aircraft Corp at its facility at Forth Worth in Texas, USA. Production commenced in 1963 and the first aircraft was delivered in October that kear. It continued to 1975 when it ceased. Wren Aircraft Inc re-commenced production in February 1982 of the model 460P.
Two have appeared on the Australian register: VH-RAJ² (c/n 5-460-182G), which was a conversion of a Cessna 182G imported for Missionary Aviation Fellowship, which in later years was based in Bendigo, VIC; and VH-AIE² (c/n 38-460-182J – ex N3556F), being a conversion of a Cessna 182J. The latter was damaged landing on a salt lake near Norseman on 10 May 1971 and damaged again on 10 February 1972 at Giles, WA. In November 1983 it was sold to Papua New Guinea as P2-UIH² where it operated with Wiriu Air Services, and later with Franair of Wewak, returning to the Australian register in December 1989. In recent years it has been based in Victoria.