Watson GW-1 Windwagon
| GW-1 Windwagon | |
|---|---|
| Role | recreational ultralight |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | homebuilt |
| Designer | Gary Watson[1] |
| First flight | April 19, 1977[2] |
The Watson WG-1 Windwagon is a single-seat recreational ultralight designed in the United States in 1976 and marketed for homebuilding.[1] Designer Gary Watson originally sold kits as well as plans, but later sold only plans. [1]
Design and development
[edit]The Windwagon is a low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional design with fixed, tricycle undercarriage, and a single-seat open cockpit.[1][3] Construction is of pop-riveted metal throughout.[1] The outer wing panels are removable to facilitate hangering and trailering.[1][3][4]
Power is supplied by an air-cooled, tractor-mounted piston engine driving a propeller.[1] The engine selected by Watson was an automotive Volkwagen air-cooled engine sawn in half across its crankcase to turn the flat-four engine into a flat-two[1][3][4] (a modification called a "half VW"). Plans for the Windwagon included instructions for modifying a Volkswagen engine this way.[1]
By 1987, Watson had sold over 1,025 sets of plans, and over 500 Windwagons had been built around the world.[1]
The Hummel Bird is a development of this design.[3]
Specifications (as designed)
[edit]Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1987-88, p.732
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 pilot
- Length: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
- Height: 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m)
- Wing area: 54 sq ft (5.0 m2)
- Empty weight: 273 lb (124 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 485 lb (220 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Half VW 2-cylinder horizontally opposed air-cooled piston automotive engine, 30 hp (22 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 135 mph (217 km/h, 117 kn)
- Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn)(flaps and undercarriage down)
- Range: 300 mi (480 km, 260 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m)
- Rate of climb: 450 ft/min (2.3 m/s) max. climb at sea level
- Wing loading: 8.98 lb/sq ft (43.8 kg/m2)
References
[edit]- Dwiggins, Don (1980). 31 Practical Ultralights You Can Built. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: TAB Books.
- Markowski, Michael A. (1984). ARV: The Encyclopedia of Aircraft Recreational Vehicles. Hummelstown, Pennsylvania: Aviation Publishers.
- Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1987). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1987-88. London: Jane's Information Group.