View source for Wren 460

{{Short description|American STOL aircraft}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name = Wren 460
 |image = File:Wren 460P (7-29-2023).jpg
 |caption = Wren 460P at [[EAA AirVenture Oshkosh]] in 2023
 |type = STOL light aircraft
 |national_origin = United States
 |manufacturer = [[Wren Aircraft Company]]<br>[[Peterson's Performance Plus]]
 |designer = Jim Robertson
 |first_flight = January 1963
 |introduction = 
 |retired = 
 |status = 
 |primary_user = 
 |more_users = 
 |produced = 
 |number_built = 700+
 |developed_from = [[Cessna 180 Skywagon]]<br>[[Cessna 182 Skylane]]<br>[[Robertson Skylark SRX-1]]
 |variants = 
}}

The '''Wren 460''' is a [[STOL]] conversion of a [[Cessna 180 Skywagon|Cessna 180]] or [[Cessna 182 Skylane|182]] airframe.

== Design and development ==
The Wren 460 traces its history to the Skyshark, a modification of the earlier [[Robertson Skylark SRX-1]], built by James Robertson, son of [[Robertson Aircraft Corporation]] founder William B. Robertson, in the late 1950s.  The Skyshark incorporated a number of modifications, most notably a [[Canard (aeronautics)|canard]] fitted with [[Elevator (aircraft)|elevators]] in the slipstream behind the propeller.  It was a technological success but too expensive to produce.  

Robertson incorporated many features of the Skyshark into the Wren Aircraft Company's Wren 460.  A conversion of the Cessna 180 or 182 airframe, the Wren 460 featured full-span double-slotted flaps, movable [[Spoiler (aeronautics)|spoilers]] to assist the [[ailerons]] with roll control, and an optional reversible pitch propeller for shorter landing runs.  Like the Skyshark, the Wren 460 also featured a set of canards immediately behind the propeller, taking advantage of the propeller's airstream and allowing the nose to pitch up even when the aircraft is motionless.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Brown|first=Kevin|date=September 1963|title=Takeoff at 30|url=http://www.wren460.com/assets/popular_mechanics_wren_article.pdf|journal=[[Popular Mechanics]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Schiff|first=Barry|date=March 1990|title=STOLen Moments|url=http://www.wren460.com/assets/aopa_pilot_magazine_wren.pdf|journal=[[Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association|AOPA Pilot]]|pages=109}}</ref>  The stall angle of the airfoil was also changed from 16 to 20 degrees by the addition of a drooped leading edge cuff, a modification that would later be incorporated in the standard 182.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|date=Spring 1986|title=A New Wren's Nest|url=http://www.wren460.com/assets/sportsman_pilot_spring1986.pdf|journal=[[Sportsman Pilot]]}}</ref>

== Operational history ==
The Wren 460, modified from a Cessna 182A, made its first flight in January 1963, and received [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] [[Type certificate|certification]] on June 30, 1964.<ref name=":1" />

Pilots praised the Wren 460 for its STOL performance.  Kevin Brown of ''[[Popular Mechanics]]'' noted that it "lands like a [[Carrier-based aircraft|carrier plane]]", but also noted that such a touchdown was "quite hard".<ref name=":0" />  Despite the publicity of its initial release, few were built due in part to its price, which was over twice that of a stock Cessna 182 at the time.  Wren Aircraft eventually went bankrupt in 1969 after the United States military rejected its projects.<ref name=":1" />

The type certificate of the Wren 460 was sold to Galen Means, and was again sold to Todd Peterson in 1977.  Peterson, the owner of Advanced Lift Systems (later Peterson's Performance Plus), began production of the Wren 460 once again as the Wren 460P, this time modified from used 182 airframes of newer models as opposed to the new, early model airframes of the original.  Unlike the original, the Wren 460P did not have the option of a reversible propeller as Peterson believed it offered too little benefit for its cost.  By 1986, a Wren 460P cost less than a new 182 by almost $20,000.<ref name=":1" />

== Variants ==
;Wren 460
:Original conversions by Wren Aircraft Company.  About 200 modified from new Cessna 180 and 182 airframes.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Downle|first=Don|date=May 1993|title=Reborn Wren Revives Interest in the Old/New Airplane of the Sixties|url=http://www.wren460.com/assets/eight-wren-articles-in-various-magazines.pdf|journal=[[Cessna Owner Magazine]]|volume=19}}</ref>
;Wren 460 Beta
:Wren 460 with optional reversible propeller.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Garrison|first1=Kevin|last2=Sakrison|first2=David|date=May 1993|title=Don't You Dare Call a Wren a "182!"|url=http://www.wren460.com/assets/eight-wren-articles-in-various-magazines.pdf|journal=[[Cessna Owner Magazine]]|volume=19}}</ref>
;Wren 460G
:Designation of aircraft converted from 182G airframes.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|title=[[Jane's All the World's Aircraft]] 1971–1972|publisher=[[S&P Global|The McGraw-Hill Book Company]]|year=1971|isbn=0354000942|editor-last=Taylor|editor-first=John W. R.|pages=425}}</ref>
;Wren 460H
:Designation of aircraft converted from new 182H airframes.  Certified June 1965.<ref name=":4" />
;Wren 460P
:Conversions by Advanced Lift Systems (later Peterson's Performance Plus).  Modified from used 182H through 182M airframes, no option for reversible propeller.<ref name=":1" />
;Wren 460QB
:"Quiet Bird".  Modified Wren 460B to compete with the [[Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star]].  Speculated to have been a candidate for the '''ZO-4A''' designation, with the [[United States Air Force]] proposing to buy 28 aircraft before the O-4 program was canceled in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heyman |first=Jos |date=1 June 2015 |title=United States Military Aircraft: O=Observation |url=https://usmilitaryaircraft.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/triserv-o.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title="Missing" USAF/DOD Aircraft Designations |url=http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/missing-mds.html |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=www.designation-systems.net}}</ref>
;Peterson 260SE
:Simplified conversion with stock wings and a 260 hp [[Continental Aerospace Technologies|Continental]] [[Continental O-470|IO-470-F]] engine.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Cavanagh|first=Jim|date=May 1993|title=One Wonderful Wren!|url=http://www.wren460.com/assets/eight-wren-articles-in-various-magazines.pdf|journal=[[Cessna Owner Magazine]]|volume=19}}</ref>  Over 500 converted.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Worthy|first=Crista|date=2015-02-04|title=King Katmai: Unbeatable Safety and Performance - Disciples of Flight|url=https://disciplesofflight.com/king-katmai/|access-date=2021-06-01|language=en}}</ref>
;Peterson 230SE
:Further simplified conversion with only the canard modification.<ref name=":2" />
;Super Skylane
:Non-STOL conversion of the 182 with the 260 hp IO-470-F.<ref name=":2" />
;Bushmaster
:Version of the 260SE with strengthened landing gear and large tires, intended for [[bush flying]].<ref name=":2" />
;Katmai
:Peterson 260 SE with lengthened wings.<ref name=":3" />
;King Katmai
:Katmai with a 300 hp [[Continental IO-550]] engine.<ref name=":3" />
;Kenai
:King Katmai with stock 182 wings.<ref name=":3" />

== Specifications (Wren 460) ==

{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89 <ref name="Janes 88 p497">Taylor 1988, p. 497.</ref> 
|prime units?=imp 
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|genhide=
|crew=1
|capacity=3 passengers
|length m=
|length ft=27
|length in=4
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=35
|span in=10
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=9
|height in=0
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=175.4
|wing area note=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=1697
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=2800
|gross weight note= normal
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=3650
|max takeoff weight note= restricted category 
|fuel capacity=80 US Gallon (303 L)
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Continental IO-470]]-R
|eng1 type=air cooled [[flat-six]]
|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 hp=260<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 shp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|thrust original=
|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop note=

<!--
        Performance
-->
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=160
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=max cruise
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=140
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=econ cruise 
|stall speed mph=29
|stall speed note=(power off, flaps down)
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=980
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=19200
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1080
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=*'''Take-off to and landing from 50 ft (15 m):''' 560 ft (171 m) 
|avionics=
}}

==References==

===Notes===
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* [[John W. R. Taylor|Taylor, John W. R.]] ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89''. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Defence Data, 1988. {{ISBN|0-7106-0867-5}}.
* Brown, K.; "Takeoff at 30: Cockpit test of new toothwing plane", ''Popular mechanics'', September 1963, Pages 94–97,203-206.[https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-MDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Robertson+Skyshark%22&pg=PA94] (retrieved 6 October 2014).

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Wren 460}}
*[http://www.katmai-260se.com/ Manufacturer's website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020806131354/http://260sepilots.org/gallery/ Photo galleries] Peterson 230/260SEs and Wren 460s
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060410121313/http://www.cals.lib.ar.us/miller/images/WRE_460P.jpg Wren 460 picture] Spoilers, full-wing double-slotted flaps and canard clearly visible.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110608020652/http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/cgi-bin/res.pl?keyword=Wren+460&offset=0 Wren 460]
*[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%200780.html FlightGlobal.com]

{{Cessna 140 family}}
{{Robertson aircraft}}
{{US observation aircraft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wren 460}}
[[Category:1980s United States civil utility aircraft]]
[[Category:Canard aircraft]]
[[Category:High-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1963]]