In 1948 Keith Sorenson built two midget racers:
Deer Fly N24C
Piloted by K Sorenson and Mike Argander
Competed successfully under various owners until it crashed at Tampa FL in 1966, killing pilot Bill Stead.
Little Mike N35C
Modified tail
Modified for 1949 competition as Foss Jinny
Sorenson Special
Engine: Continental C-85, 85hp
Wingspan: 18’6″
Length: 15’6″
Seats: 1
Van Nuys CA.
USA
Built two Sorenson Special midget racers in 1948.
Funded by Nat Somers and designed by Hugh Kendall the Somers Kendal SK-1 was planned to win a Royal Aero Club prize for the design of a light aircraft, and to race, all with acrobatic abilities.
The tandem two-seat SK-1 is made of wood. The wings each hold a structural tank. Both tanks have a total capacity of 227 liters. The leading edge and wing tips are made of synthetic fiber impregnated fiberglass. The laminar wing has an aspect ratio of 8. The flaps extend over the entire span and contribute to the high lift by simultaneously operating down.
The only metal parts of the aircraft are the engine mounts, the landing gear and butterfly tail. The undercarriage front wheel was a Miles Gemini tail wheel, with a singe main wheel. Side outriggers fully retracted into the wing.
The butterfly tail is full flying and smaller trailing edge flaps act as servo trim tabs.
Built at Woodley, the first flight of the SK-1 was flown by Hugh Woodley Kendall, its designer, on Oct. 8, 1955, registered G-AOBC. It suffered a mid-air turbine failure on 11 July 1957.
The lack of market opportunity (either as aircraft race or as training aircraft for the RAF) terminated the project.
It went to the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield for use as a design example but departed in the mid-1960s.
It was found in 1974 under re-build at a farm near Dunstable.
Circa 2010, the Somers-Kendall SK-1 was bought by Peter Bishop of Hamburg, Germany. The body is in good condition and it was transferred to Classic Aero Services in France for restoration.
Some other elements exist, but the wings and canopy were missing.
Engine: Turbomeca Palas, 160 Kp
Span 22 ft 9 in / 6.93 m
Wing area: 6.25 m²
Length 20 ft 10 in / 6.35 m
Height: 1.62 m
Fuselage weight: 217 Kg
Engine and accessories weight: 90 Kg
Equipment and oil weight; 35 Kg
Empty weight: 343 Kg
Aerobatic mauw 1300 lb
Fuel capacity: 228 lt
Vne: 645 km / h
Max speed: 332 mph / 535 Km / h (at sea level)
Max cruise: 450 km / h
Initial climb rate: 1850 ft / min
Range: 1160 km at 20,000 ft at 190 kts
Take-off (50 feet, 750 Kg): 685m
Landing dist (50 feet to 650 Kg): 595m
Load factor: + / – 6 g
The Solar One, made its public debut June 1979. 750 solar cells charge 24 accumulator cells to drive four electric motors linked together for a combined 4 hp. The aircraft, which looks like a conventional glider but with a pylon mounted power unit located on the nose immediately forward of the pilot, takes off at 20kts and has reached a maximum of 42kts.
The Solar T62 is a family of compact auxiliary power units (APUs) installed in ground power units and aircraft. The T62T32 variant has also been successfully adapted as the power plant for small single seat and two seat home-build helicopters.
The T62T32 adopts a classic small gas turbine design featuring a centrifugal compressor and radial inflow turbine. The two are mounted back to back and supported on a common shaft with outboard bearings. The bearings hold the shaft in a cantilever fashion, this arrangement has a clear advantage – both bearings are outside the hot section of the engine and so run cooler in operation.
The combustion system fitted to the Solar T62 consists of an annular reverse-flow chamber with six vaporising burners. The operation of vaporising burners requires the presence of heat in the compositor in initiate the vaporisation process, this is provided a special small atomising burner and igniter plug.
The T62T32 version carries a heavy duty reduction gearbox that can carry a 60Kva 400Hz generator turning at 6,000 rpm. The usual accessories are also driven form the gearbox and also a heavy duty pre-engaged starter motor. Other versions of the T62 generally carry smaller lighter gearboxes and may make use of electrical starter generators or hydraulic starters.
The T62 is unusual in carrying a hybrid fuel control system. Fuel is supplied to the engine by a small gear pump, up to running speed the fuel flow is controlled by a mechanical pneumatically operated valve pressurised from the compressor delivery (P2). This arrangement ensures smooth surge free acceleration after starting. When full speed is reached an electronic governor takes over by means of a rotary solenoid actuator and fuel metering valve. The governor arrangement is not dissimilar to many diesel governors fitted to generator sets running at constant speed.
The USAF EMU30 transportable generator set was fitted with the T62T32 model, a number of these units can be found surplus from time to time in the USA. Demand for these units is likely to have been stimulated by the use of the engine as a powerplant in small kit built helicopters. Some modifications are carried out to reduce the weight of the substantial gearbox housing.
Variants:
T62 Titan
The direct drive main production version.
T62T-2
80 hp (60 kW) at 56,700 turbine rpm for Boeing-Vertol CH-47A Chinook helicopters.
T62T-2A
95 hp (71 kW) at 56,700 turbine rpm for Boeing-Vertol CH-47B / C Chinook helicopters.
T62T-11
80 hp (60 kW) at 56,700 turbine rpm for Boeing-Vertol CH-46A Sea Knight helicopters.
T62T-12
105 hp (78 kW) at 61,240 turbine rpm
T62T-16 / -16A1
95 hp (71 kW) for Sikorsky CH-3, Sikorsky SH-3 and Sikorsky CH-54A Skycrane helicopters at 56,700 turbine rpm, with 8,000 and 8,100 rpm outputs.
T62T-25
Turboshaft – 80 hp (60 kW) at 56,700 turbine rpm
T62T-27
Turboshaft – 150 hp (110 kW) at 61,250 turbine rpm, with 1x 8,000 and 1x 8,216 rpm outputs.
T62T-29
Turboshaft – 95 hp (71 kW) at 56,700 turbine rpm, for Lockheed Jetstar and Pan American Falcon business Jets at 56,700 turbine rpm, with 1x 8,000 and 1x 8,100 rpm outputs.
T62T-32
Power Output: 150HP @ 60,000rpm
Compressor: single stage centrifugal
Combustor: annular reverse flow with 6 vaporising burners
Turbine: single stage radial inflow
Layout: overhung rotor single shaft with reduction gearbox
Fuel system: gear pump, part hydro mechanical/part electronic governor
Ignition System: high energy plug torch igniter
Starting System: electric starter
Oil system: return system wet sump reservoir
Accessories: Brush-less Alternator
Application: 400Hz EMU30 Military Generator set
T62T-32A
150 hp (110 kW) at 61,250 rpm. Military Ground Power Unit (GPU) often used by US Navy and Air Force.
T62T-39
T66
A free power turbine version for the US military.
Built in Yugoslavia as the Soko Orao (eagle) and in Romania as the CNIAR (Centrul National al industriei Aeronautica Române) IAR-93, the aircraft was designed by a joint team and developed under a programme known as YuRom, the name indicating the partner countries. Prototypes assembled by Soko and CNIAR made their first flights within minutes of each other on 31 October 1974, and these were followed by a pair of two-seat variants, both of which flew on 29 January 1977. During 1978, deliveries began of a pre-production batch of 15 to each country, after which the initial series model, known in Romania as the IAR-93A, entered service. This was fitted with a pair of non-afterburning Viper Mk 632 engines, but after a short run of single and two-seat aircraft to this standard (20 of them for Romania) manufacture began of the definitive IAR-93B which features a licence-built afterburner and structural changes such as integral wing fuel tanks and a honeycomb rudder and tailplane.
Soko / CNIAR J-22 Orao / IAR-93 Article
The uprated Orao 2/IAR-93B flew in Jugoslavia in October 1983, and in Romania in 1985. The principal difference from the earlier Orao 1/IAR-93A is the introduction of a licence-built Viper 633 with reheat, giving improved performance and weapons carrying capability. The Orao 2 has a Thomson-CSF headup display, and four underwing and one underfuselage stores pylons. Optical and infrared reconnaissance pods are available for carriage on the centreline station.
Romania required 165 IAR-93Bs, including some two-seat models, with similar operational capability to the main version, for advanced training and weapons instruction. Yugoslav plans were believed to be similar. The Orao/lAR-93 is limited to the close support role by its lack of radar or inertial navigation, but low-level interception is a secondary duty.
The J-22 Orao/IAR-93 attack aircraft was out of production before all deliveries made, due to regional conflict.
Orao 2/IAR-93B
Engine: 2 x Rolls-Royce Viper Mk 633-47 afterburning turbojets
Installed thrust (dry / reheat): 37.7 / 44.8 kN, 2268-kg (5,000-1b)
Span: 9.62 m (31 ft 6.75 in)
Length excluding probe: 13.96 m (45 ft 9.5 in)
Height 4.45 m (14 ft 7.25 in)
Wing area: 26 sq.m (279.86 sq ft)
Empty equipped wt: 5900 kg (13,007 lb)
MTOW: 10,097 kg (22,260 lb)
Warload: 2800 kg
Max speed: 1160 kph (721 mph) at sea level
Initial ROC: 5.5 min to 13,000 m / 3960 m (12,990 ft) per min
Service ceiling 12500 m (41,010 ft)
T/O run: 690 m
Ldg run: 1050 m
Combat radius hi-lo-hi: 360 km
Fuel internal: 2600 lt
Air refuel: No
Armament: two 23-mm GSh-231, twin-barrel cannon (with 200 rpg) in front fuselage
four wing pylons and one centreline pylon carrying five x 250-kg (551-1b)
SOKO J 22 Orao 2
Engine: 2 x Rolls Royce Viper 633 41, 17462 N
Length: 45.932 ft / 14.0 m
Height: 14.764 ft / 4.5 m
Wingspan: 31.496 ft / 9.6 m
Wing area: 279.864 sq.ft / 26.0 sq.m
Max take off weight: 24806.3 lb / 11250.0 kg
Weight empty: 12678.8 lb / 5750.0 kg
Max. payload weight: 12127.5 lb / 5500.0 kg
Max. speed: 626 kts / 1160 km/h
Landing speed: 148 kts / 274 km/h
Cruising speed: 394 kts / 730 km/h
Initial climb rate: 13779.53 ft/min / 70.0 m/s
Service ceiling: 44291 ft / 13500 m
Wing loading: 88.77 lb/sq.ft / 433.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 572 nm / 1060 km
Crew: 1
Armament: 2800kg ext 5pods
The Galeb was complemented by a generally similar but higher performance single-seat light attack/tactical reconnaissance version designated J-1 Jastreb (Hawk), which had a strengthened airframe and was powered by the improved Rolls-Royce Viper 531 turbojet. This was built as the J-1 attack and RJ-1 tactical reconnaissance aircraft for the Yugoslav air force, with corresponding J-1E and RJ-1 E versions for export. For operational conversion a two-seat TJ-1 was developed.
Production of all versions of the Jastreb ended during 1978.
J-1 Jastreb
Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce “Viper” 531, 1361kg
Max take-off weight: 5100 kg / 11244 lb
Loaded weight: 2820 kg / 6217 lb
Wingspan: 11.68 m / 38 ft 4 in
Length: 10.88 m / 36 ft 8 in
Height: 3.64 m / 12 ft 11 in
Wing area: 19.43 sq.m / 209.14 sq ft
Max. speed: 820 km/h / 510 mph
Ceiling: 12000 m / 39350 ft
Range w/max.fuel: 1520 km / 945 miles
Armament: 3 x 12.7mm machine-guns
Hard points: 8
Crew: 1
The first of two prototype SOKO G2-A Galeb (Gull) two-seat trainer and light attack aircraft was flown during May 1961 and production was started in 1963.
Powered by a 2,500 lb / 1134kg thrust Rolls-Royce Viper 22-6 turbojet, the G2-A was the standard version for the Yugoslav air force. A G2-AE export variant became available from late 1974 and was built for Libya and Zambia. The basic G2 A version served with the Yugoslav Air Force and G 2A Es with Libya and Zambia.
Production of the G-2A Galeb ended in 1983.
G-2A Galeb
Engine: 1 x 2500 lbs.t. (1134 kgp) Bristol Siddeley Viper A.S.V.11 Mk. 22-6 turbojet
Span: 34ft 0.75 in (10.38 m)
Length: 33 ft 11.5 in (10.35 m)
Height: 3.3 m / 11 ft 10 in
Wing area: 209.14 sq.ft (19.43 sq.m)
Empty weight: 5485 lb (2488 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,438 lb. (3374 kg)
Max. speed: 505 mph (812 kph) at 20,340ft (6200 m)
Cruise: 334 mph (537 kph)
Initial climb: 4,500 fpm (22.86 m/sec)
Ceiling: 10000 m / 32800 ft
Range w/max.payload: 1250 km / 777 miles
Crew: 2
First flown in 1966, a total of thirty piston-engined P-2 Kraguj were built at Mostar, Yugoslavia, as a counterinsurgency aircraft.
Engine: Lycoming IO-540, 340 hp
Ground attack aircraft
Dual Controls. 2 place tandem cockpit
Engine: Pratt & Whitney 600 hp
Cruise: 165 mph
Seats: 2
All Aero 