Wassmer WA-51 Pacific
| WA-51 Pacific | |
|---|---|
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| Wassmer WA-54 Atlantic | |
| Role | Four-seat cabin monoplaneTemplate:Short description |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Société Wassmer |
| First flight | 18 March 1966 |
| Produced | 1969–1977 |
| Number built | 154 |
The Wassmer WA-51 Pacific is a French four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Société Wassmer. Different-powered variants include the Wassmer WA-52 Europa and the Wassmer WA-54 Atlantic. It was the world's first composite material-built aircraft.[1]
Design and development
Having manufactured glass-fibre cowlings for Bébé, D112 and D120 Jodels, increasing number of glass-fibre parts for their Javelot, Bijave and Super-Javelot gliders, and then Super-IV aircraft, in 1966 Wassmer first flew the glass-fibre WA-50 prototype, a single-engined four-seat cabin monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. Originally designed as a three-seater powered by a 115cv Potez engine, engine unavailability at the time resulted in a 150cv Lycoming O-320 being used instead and the aircraft becoming a 4-seater.[1] Using the same profile as the Super-IV but only 8.6m span, and compensated with large slotted flaps, the wings were formed from two moulded halves and contained two 70 litre fuel tanks.[1] The fuselage was also manufactured as two halves, and featured butterfly doors.
The design entered production as the WA-51 Pacific with a fixed tricycle landing gear. The low-wing cantilever monoplane was powered by a nose-mounted 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320-E2A piston engine. A variant, powered by a 160 hp (119 kW) Lycoming IO-320-B1A was called the WA-52 Europa. Further refinements produced the 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-A1LD powered WA-54 Atlantic.
Variants
- WA-50
- Prototype with retractable landing gear and powered by Script error: No such module "convert". Lycoming O-360-E engine, first flew 22 March 1966, one built, registration F-WNZZ.Template:Sfn[2] Fuselage is color molded with integral leading edge fuel tanks.Template:Sfn
- WA-51 Pacific
- Production version first flown in 1969 with fixed undercarriage and powered by a Script error: No such module "convert". Lycoming O-320-E2C engine, 39 built.Template:Sfn
- WA-52 Europa
- As WA-51 with a Script error: No such module "convert". Lycoming IO-320-D1F engine, 59 built.Template:Sfn
- WA-53
- Proposed variant with a Script error: No such module "convert". Lycoming engine, not built.Template:Sfn
- WA-54 Atlantic
- WA-51 with refinements and a Script error: No such module "convert". Lycoming O-360-A1LD engine, 55 built.Template:Sfn
Specifications (WA-54 Atlantic)
See also
References
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Bibliography
- Battarel, Michel (1966). Chez Wassmer, l'avion "tout plastique" devient une réalité. Air et Cosmos, 141 pp. 36–38
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