Single seat single engined high wing mono¬plane with conventional three axis control, first flown in 1982. Wing has unswept leading and trailing edges, and constant chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder. Control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wing braced from below by struts; wing profile; double surface. Undercarriage has tall dragger formation and rigid suspension with 20-inch main wheels. Aluminium tube framework, without pod. Engine mounted below wing driving tractor propeller. Frame: 6061T6 and 2024T3 aluminium. Wing: 2.7 oz Stits Polyfiber. Like the Barnstormer, the Boomerang monoplane is also intended for home builders, to whom Fisher Flying sell through intermediary Wicks Aircraft in plan form for $65 or as a complete kit for $3720. The standard aircraft is fitted with a twin cylinder 340 cc Kawasaki engine of 30 hp with 2.0 reduction which is less frequently used than the TA440 436 cc Kawasaki giving 38.5 hp, which is available as an option. A peculiarity of the Boomerang is that it is available with two different wings an option is to have an enlarged wing of 32ft (9.75m) span. Wing area is increased in proportion, which allows the aircraft to be used as a two seater, though it is then included in the experimental aircraft category and no longer qualifies as an ultralight in the USA. Like Mike Fisher’s biplane, the Boomerang was also sold in the form of sub assembly kits: wing for $1175; fuselage for $585; covering for $425 and motor for $1450, in 1982.
Engine: Kawasaki 340 cc, 30 hp. Propeller diameter and pitch 54 x 22 inch, 1.37 x 0.56 m. Reduction ratio 2.0/1. Power per unit area 0.19 hp/sq.ft, 2.1 hp/sq.m. Fuel capacity 2.5 US gal, 2.1 Imp gal, 9.5 litre Optional fuel capacity 5.0 US gal, 4.2 Imp gal, 18.9 litre. Wing span 28.0 ft, 8.53 m. Mean chord 5.6 ft, 1.70 m. Total wing area 156 sq.ft, 14.5 sq.m. Wing aspect ratio 5.0/1. Main wheels diameter overall 20 inch, 50 cm. Empty weight 190 lb, 86 kg.
Single seat single engined negative stagger biplane with conventional three axis control. Wings have unswept leading and trailing edges, symmetrical double-surface, and constant chord; conventional cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; roll control by full -span ailerons; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wings braced by struts; wing profile NACA 23015; double surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation; bungee suspension on all wheels. Flush right go right nosewheel steering connected to yaw control. Brakes on 16-inch main wheels. Aluminium tube framework, without pod. Twin cylinder Kawasaki 440A with 2.0 reduction and recoil restart capability engine mounted below wing driving tractor propeller. Frame: 6061T6 and 2024T3 aluminium. Wing 2.7oz Stits Polyfiber. The prototype of this biplane was shown for the first time at Oshkosh in August 1982. Essentially in-tended for home builders, the Barnstormer has been available from Fisher Flying Pro¬ducts since the end of 1982 as plans for $95 or as a complete kit with Kawasaki TA440 engine for $4355. In order to give greater flexibility to the builder, various sub assem¬bly kits are also available as follows: tail surfaces kit $285; wings kit $1175; fuselage kit for $1050; covering $395; power unit $1650. Options include a ground adjustable two-¬bladed variable pitch propeller and shor¬tened wings down from 20 ft (6.09 m) span to 17.5 ft (5.33 m).
Engine: Kawasaki TA 440A, 38.5 hp at 6000 rpm. Propeller diameter 58 inch, 1.47m. Reduction ratio 2.0/1. Power per unit area 0.21hp/sq.ft, 2.4hp/sq.m. Fuel capacity 1.7 US gal, 1.4 Imp gal, 6.6 litre Optional fuel capacity 5.0 US gal, 4.2 Imp gal, 18.9 litre. Wing span 20.0ft, 6.09m. Constant chord 4.0 ft, 1.21 m. Sweepback 0 degs. Total wing area 176 sq.ft, 16.4 sq.m. Aspect ratio of each wing 4.5/1. Nosewheel diameter overall 16 inch, 40 cm. Main wheels diameter overall 16 inch, 40 cm. Empty weight 220 lb, 100 kg. Wing loading, 2.19 lbs/sq.ft.
In February of 1942, the USAAF issued a Request For Proposals for a fighter/interceptor of high performance. Maximum speed was to be 440 mph at 2000 feet, operational ceiling was to be 38,000 feet, and range was to be 2500 miles. A special requirement was added for the initial climb rate, which was to be no less than 5600 feet per minute.
P-75A Eagle
In April of 1942, Donovan Berlin (who had been responsible for the P-36 and the P-40) left the Curtiss company to take over the directorship of the Aircraft Development Division of the Fisher Body Division of the General Motors Corporation. One of his first assignments was in response to the USAAF request. In September of 1942, Fisher submitted their proposal using the most powerful liquid-cooled engine then available, the 2,885-hp twenty-four cylinder Allison V-3420. This engine was basically a pair of coupled V-1710 engines, mounted side-by-side in a W-type configuration. Significant savings in cost and time were to be gained by employing major assemblies from existing aircraft already in production in the manufacture of the new interceptor.
The first of two proto¬type XP-75s that flew on 17 November 1943 was built with P-51 Mustang outer panels, F4U Corsair landing gear and A-24 Dauntless empennage.
On October 10, 1942, a contract for two prototypes was awarded to Fisher under the designation XP-75.
Serial numbers 43-46950 and 43-46951 were assigned to the two XP-75 prototypes. The Allison engine was to be located behind the cockpit and was to drive a set of contra-rotating propellers via an extension shaft and a reduction gearbox. The engine was cooled by a duct in the ventral fuselage. Initially, it was planned that the outer wing panels of the P-51 Mustang would be used in an inverted-gull configuration. However, at an early stage it was decided to drop the inverted gull-wing configuration and go with a straight wing design utilizing outer wing panels from a P-40.
By the summer of 1943, the USAAF had a more urgent need for long-range escort fighters than it did for fast-climbing interceptors. The urgent demand to exploit existing components was abruptly dropped. On July 6, 1943, the USAAF ordered six more prototypes that would be adapted to fulfill the long-range escort role. They were assigned the designation XP-75A, and the serial numbers were 44-32161/32166. They were to be powered by an Allison V-3420-23 engine, and were to be armed with six 0.50-inch machine guns in the wings and four 0.50-inch guns in the fuselage nose. At the same time, the USAAF decided to order 2500 production P-75As, although they did stipulate in the contract that if the production aircraft did not meet specifications the order might be cancelled. Maximum speed was to be 434 mph at 20,000 feet and 389 mph at sea level. These production P-75As were to be built at the Fisher plant in Cleveland, Ohio.
The first XP-75 flew on November 17, 1943. It was powered by an Allison V-3420-19 engine rated at 2600 hp for takeoff and driving a pair of contra rotating propellers. As planned, the wing was of a straight center section with P-40 outer panels with modified tips. The tail assembly was from an A-24, and the main undercarriage members were taken from an F4U Corsair.
The ‘hybrid’ test ships were fol¬lowed by six production XP-75As with bubble canopy rather than the braced hood of earlier machines and a modified tail assembly. The first of these flew on 15 Septem¬ber 1944 and had most compo¬nents designed new from the out¬set. It featured the V-3420-23 engine of the XP-75A.
All six XP-75A long-range escort versions were in the test program by the spring of 1944. Some problems were encountered with instability, since errors had been made in the initial estimate of the aircraft’s center of mass. The coupled Allison engine failed to give its full rated power. The engine cooling was inadequate, aileron forces were excessively high, and the spinning characteristics were poor. Though it could reach a speed of 400 mph, the XP-75 was disappointing in almost every other aspect.
At that stage in the war, the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt and the North American P-51D Mustang were more than adequately fulfilling the long-range escort role, and the USAAF decided that there was no longer any need for a new escort fighter.
Consequently, the USAAF decided to terminate the P-75 development program, and the production contract for the P-75A was cancelled on October 27, 1944. The serial numbers of the six P-75As built were 44-44549/44553.
By the time of contract termination, the first and second P-75A had been delivered to Elgin Field, Florida for tactical suitability trials, the third machine was in the shop being fitted with an experimental intercooler, and the fourth and fifth machines were almost complete.
Although the USAAF no longer had any need for the P-75, it was decided to go ahead and finish these machines and use them for development work. The sixth machine was to be placed in storage and scavenged for spare parts to keep the rest flying. The five production P-75As never completed official performance trials, but enough testing was performed to confirm the fact that the maximum speed was at least 30 mph below that guaranteed by the manufacturer. The third machine received an experimental intercooler installation which permitted substantial increases in engine power.
The improved version was still unsatisfactory and after three Eagles had crashed, the entire program was cancelled on November 8, 1944. Only eight XP-75s and six P-75As were built. The last production P-75A (serial number 44-44553) was on display in the Annex at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Museum in Dayton, Ohio, in 1992. This was apparently the aircraft that had been scavenged to keep the other P-75s flying, so more than a few things may be missing. The P-75A on display was loaned to the USAF Museum by the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in 1977.
XP-75 Engine: Allison V-3420-23, 2885 hp Span: 49 ft. 4 in. Length: 40 ft. 5 in. Height: 15 ft. 6 in. Wing area: 347 sq.ft Empty weight: 11,495 lb Normal loaded weight: 13,807 lb MTOW: 18,210 lb Maximum speed: 404 mph. Max speed: 433 mph at 20,000 ft Cruising speed: 250 mph. Range: 2,600 miles Range max external fuel: 3500 miles Service Ceiling: 29,500 ft. Absolute ceiling: 36,400 ft. Initial climb rate: 4200 fpm at 10,000 ft Climb rate: 3900 fpm at 20,000 ft Crew: One Armament: six 0.50-inch machine guns wings (235 rpm) / four 0.50-in machine guns fuselage (300 rpm) / two 500-pound bombs
Percy Fisher began the design of his aircraft in June 1911, and the machine was finally finished in November 1912. On Christmas day 1912, Fisher attempted his first flight at Pigeon Bush in the Wairarapa. It was a short hop into the air, followed by a heavy crash. While the engine was powerful enough to lift the aircraft into the air, the basic configuration presented some severe control problems. On 28 April 1913 with Reginald White at the controls, the Fisher monoplane made its first successful short flights at Pigeon Bush. After the Gladstone flights in June 1913, several different pilots occasionally flew the aircraft, before it was retired in early 1916. The only remains of the aircraft in 2003 were the two cylinders at Southward’s Museum. Percy Fisher went on to have a very successful engineering business in Wellington, New Zealand. He died in 1941.
Designed by Bobby Baker and first shown in public in 1984. Built up from wood from plans supplied by the First Strike, the fuselage is constructed out of spruce longerons and plywood bulkheads, resulting in a strong, light and inexpensive approach for the homebuilder. Powered by a Rotax engine. Finished in ceconite and dope. Centre mounted joy stick, rudder pedals, tailwheel steerable through rudder pedals. The wings are removable for trailering, set up time being cited as 20 minutes. Designer Bobby Baker notes that some owners have been using the Bobcat for spray work, however he cautions that the design requires some beefing up – seen as no problem – before the additional load is carried. Suggestions for beefing up the structure, putting the craft up out of the microlight category, are included with the initial plans.
Supercat
The Supercat is a strengthened version with a slightly shorter wingspan and greater performance capabilities.
Bowdler Aviation Inc markets plans and kits to build the Supercat single-seat monoplane, formerly developed by First Strike and first flown 1984. The SuperCat has removable wings, taking less than one hour with two people, and fold up tail feathers.
The Firewall Forward CAM 125 is a 125 hp (93 kW) four-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled piston aircraft engine built by Firewall Forward Aero Engines. The engine is based on a Honda automotive piston engine. Unit cost was US$11250 in 2005.
Applications: Europa XS
CAM 125 Type: Four-cylinder, four-stroke piston engine Bore: 75 mm (2.95 in) Stroke: 84.6 mm (3.33 in) Displacement: 1590 cm3 (97 cu in) Length: 33.25 inches (845 mm) Width: 21.5 inches (550 mm) Height: 23 inches (580 mm) Dry weight: 247 pounds (112 kg) Valvetrain: Overhead camshaft Fuel type: 90 Octane petrol or 100LL aviation petrol Cooling system: Uses a water-glycol mixture with a camshaft belt driven water pump. Reduction gear: 2.4:1 reduction ratio (6,000 rpm engine, 2,500 rpm propeller). Starting system Electric gear reduction starter. Power output: 93.2 kW (125 hp) at propeller flange Specific power: 130 kW/L (1.28 hp/cu in) Compression ratio: 9.2:1 Specific fuel consumption: 0.43 lb/bhp/hr at 70% power
