Photograph:
Watson GW-1 Windwagon ZK-JHN (c/n 165-P) at Coromandel in New Zealand (E McNeill – NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sporting monoplane
Power Plant:
One 28 kw (37 hp) two-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled conversion of a Volkswagen four-cylinder engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 5.48 m (18 ft)
- Length: 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in)
- Height: 1.21 m (4 ft)
- Wing area: 5.85 m² (63 sq ft)
- Max speed: 235 km/h (140 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Cruising speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Stalling speed: 61 km/h (38 mph)
- Take-off roll: 76 m (250 ft)
- Landing roll: 76 m (250 ft)
- Service ceiling: 3,658 m (12,000 ft)
- Range: 402 km (250 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 15 litres (3.3 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 124 kg (273 lb)
- Useful load: 95 kg (210 lb)
- Loaded weight: 220 kg (486 lb)
History:
The Watson Windwagon light aircraft was developed from the Parker Teenie Two series which was designed by Calvin Parker and built in some numbers around the world. The Teenie Two was built in small numbers in Australia and New Zealand and more than 12,000 sets of plans were sold from about 1969. Subsequently, Gary Watson obtained plans and re-designed the aircraft to suit his own needs. This became known as the Watson GW-1 Windwagon and this was first shown to the public at the EAA fly-in at Oshkosh in Wisconsin in 1978. The Windwagon was smaller than the Teenie Two and was basically two cones joined at the middle.
In 1979 Maurice Hummel, who resided in Ohio, obtained plans for the Windwagon and commenced development of what became known as the Hummel Bird series and fitted the aircraft with an enclosed cockpit, increased the fuel capacity and made a number of other modifications. The centre-section was made straight and the spar was built up from 6061-T6 aluminium spar caps.
Whereas the Windwagon and the Teenie Two had a tricycle undercarriage, the Hummel Bird was offered with a tailwheel. Despite the modifications, Mr Hummel considered the Hummel Bird a modified Windwagon.
An example of the Windwagon, described as a Hummel Windwagon, was completed by Errol McNeill in New Zealand, becoming ZK-JHN (c/n 165-P), first registered in November 2001 and based initially at Coromandel, later at Matamata. Some testing of the aircraft was carried out.