522

FLIGHT* ,

NOVEMBER

25, 1937.

The Percival Vega Gull (left) has been obtainable for some time with a Series II engine ^.nd v.p. airscrew, increasing the cruising speed and the permissible all-up weight while reducing the normal take-off run (Fligh' photograph.) (Below) The Tipsy twoseater which is now in production at Hanworth. It is, of course, a natural development of the singleseater Tipsy and is intended as an economical trainer or tourer. (Flight photograph.)

WICKO
OLLOWING the development of a side-by-side seater high-wing cabin monoplane which was successively fitted with a converted Ford V-8 and a Cirrus Minor engine, Foster Wikner Aircraft have gone ahead with a final version of the machine, which can be fitted with either the Minor or the Gipsy Major. In addition a slightly modified and simplified model is still available with the Ford. The new Wicko m similar in general layout to the model originally described, but the strut braced wing is now plycovered, contour-changing flaps and wheel brakes are fitted, and both the cabin width and the range of useful vision have been increased. The figures given in the table below are those for the Gipsy Major version. The Cirrus-engined Wicko has, too, a usefully high top speed120 m.p.h.the

payload is still a . m a t t e r of 220 lb., the range is 450 miles, and the fuel consumption is, of course, a good deal lower. The Ford-engined machine has a rather larger span in order t h a t the take-off shall still be good with a fair load of occupants and luggage; never-

theless, the top speed, again, is quite high115 m.p.h.-though the range has naturally to be cut down somewhat with the heavier engine. Foster, Wikner Aircraft Co., Ltd., Southampton Municipal Airport, Southampton.

SMALLER
Machine. Engine. H.P. No-at seats. Span folded if possible). ft. in. 30 0 30 6 9 0 15 1 14 10 34 6 24 0 20 4 43 40

CIVIL
Length. ft. m. 20 0 23 5 23 0 27 0 26 0 24 3 18 0 23 11 25 0 31 8 30 2 27 24 21 19 21 26 -26 25 25 26 25 23 25 7 6 2 6 6 0 0 0 3 4 4 3 4

AIRCRAFT
All-up weight. lb. 1,050 1,261 1,350 1,500 2,400 1,900 040 1,770 1,950 4,000 3,300 Weight empty. lb. 025 740 880 930 1,450 1,200 398 1,115 1,255 2,500 2,150 Max. speed. m.p.h. 90 108 112 148 150 112 109 124 147 150 Cruising speed. m.p.h. 72 95 Landing Inst, rate speed. of climb. m.p.h. 35 38 ft. min. Range at cruising speed. 320 475 Price.

Aeronca Ely Arpin Baynes Bee B.A. Swallow B.A. Eagle C-W Cygnet Chilton D.H. Tiger Moth... D.H. Hornet Moth D.H. Dragonfly Heston Phoenix ...

Aeronca- J.A. P. Salmson A.D.9.R ... Pobjoy Cat. I l l ... Gipsy Major Gipsy Major Ford Gipsy Major Gipsy Major Gipsy Major (2) D.H. Gipsv Six Series II. PragaB.36

34-30 68 85-88 130 130 32 130 130 130(2) 20O 40 37(2) 32 34 34 200 130 130 130 200 05(2)

Two Two Two Three Two One Two Two Five Five Three One One One Four Two Two Two Four Four Two Four Three One Two Two

Two

98
130 130 100 93 105 130 137 80 90 65 70 75 130 130 149 115 115 170 133 225 105 120

30
45 45 35 45 40 58 55 37.3 38 28 30 30 38 45 53 50

' 800
680 700 850 650 673 720 875 800

__ 440
650 050 500 290 750 885 725 320 300 340 210 200 570 460

875 1,250 n,05o 315 875 2,051)

9 9
0 4

Hillson * Hordern - Richmond Continental A.to ... Kronteld Drone ... Ford Luton Anzani l.uton Minor Luton Buzzard ... l.uton .Anzani Marendaz Mk. I l l D.H. Gipsy Sb.(2)... Marendaz Mk. IV D.H.'Gipsy Major . . Miles Whitney Straight ... D.H. Gipsy Maior ... Miles Magister ... .. . D.H. Gipsy Major... Miles Mentor ... ..." D.H. Gipsy Six Series II. Monospar Universal Pobjoy Niagara 11 (2) Moss Pobjoy Niagara 111. Pcrcival Vega Gull ... D.H. Gipsy Six Series II. Percival Gull D.H. Gipsy Major ... Percival Mew Gull D.H. Gipsy Six Series II. Walter Mikron Tipsy Wicko Gipsy Major

36 0 17 6 10 0 25 0 35 6 31 0 31 0 17 2 33 10 34 9 14 11 34 0 16 0 13 24 31 2 0 6

1,029 584 93.3 1,750 1,125 100 840 390 73 600 380 80000 380 85 \ No oth :r figures yet availab l e . 2,000 1,900 2,800 2,875 1,400 3,250 2,300 2,125 2,000 1,250 1,240 1,750 1,818 950 1,740 1,285 1,150 1,255 145 145 173 131 130 175 155 235

__
850 1,200 925 710

325 /250 20 - 1~S00 1,000 1,100

2,250 750 1,995 1,293 i'l,8& 575

as 200
130

38
44 40 60 45

1,700 700

419 450 . 660 760 875 400 500

200
60 130

24 10 20 3 23 3

136

Plessey's* Annual
H E effect of the vastly greater amount of Government and T other work now being carried out by the Plessey Company was very noticeable at this year's annual (actually the thirteenth) dinner and dance. There were more people than ever before at the Wharncliffe Rooms, and the table management had necessarily to be extended almost into the outer darkness. Mr. B . G. Clark, father of the managing director, was once again in the chair, and proposed the toast of t h e annual dinner, t o which his son, Mr. A. G. Clark, replied. The toast of the Company was offered by Mr. H. Fletcher, who was one

of the original half-dozen people in the firm, and Mr. J. A. Smith, the secretary, replied. Finally, Mr. P . J . Packman, the chief mechanical designer, proposed the toast to the visitorswith allusions to the two-man sports cluband Major H. Parker (one of the two sportsmen) replied in his usual amusing vein. Major Parker is the managing director of De La Rue's, a firm which is doing a good deal of plastic development and manufacturing work, apart from its other interests.

A Delta Director

O the list of the directors of the Willoughby Delta Company given on p . 485 of last week's issue should be added the name of Mr. S. Walker.