UK
Aviation department of J. Samuel White under Howard T. Wright, who joined company in 1912. Employed double cambered aerofoils on early designs. Built training and operational seaplanes for Admiralty, a twin-engined torpedo bomber in 1915 and an experimental single-seat quadruplane.
Manufacturer
Wigal, Fritz
Jackson TN.
USA
Autogyro builder circa 1964.
Wiener-Neustadter / WNF
Wiener-Neustadter Flughafen Betriebs GmbH
Wiener-Neustadter Flugzeugwerk GmbH
Germany
Originally Wiener-Neustadter Flughafen Betriebs GmbH, after the Anschluss of 1938 was amalgamated with Hirtenberg, whose manufacturing department it absorbed under the name Wiener-Neustadter Flugzeugwerk GmbH. Light two-seat biplane in production 1937, later undertook subcontracts on Bf 109. In 1943-1944 built the world’s first tip-jet helicopter, designed by team under Friedrich von Doblhoff. Four built and tested. Conventional piston-engine provided compressed air which, mixed with fuel, was fed to tip-mounted combustion chambers through rotor blades. System adopted by other designers.
Wiener Karroserie Fabrik
Austria
Built an experimental fighter in 1918.
Widerues Flyveselskap As
Norway
The oldest flying company in Norway, established in 1933 a repair department for aircraft and engines. In 1945 built the C.5 Polar monoplane, a five-seat general-purpose or ambulance aircraft which took part in the Norwegian- British-Swedish Antarctic expedition of 1951.
Wibault-Penhoet
France
A new company formed in 1931 by a merger of Avions Michel Wibault with Chantiers de St Nazaire Penhoet, which built a number of single- and multi-engined airliners in the 1930s. Taken over by Breguet.
Wibault, Michel
Established in Paris. Wibauit’s first aircraft, a single-seat fighter, appeared too late to see service in First World War. Subsequently designed night bombers and fighters for the Armee de I’Air, as well as civil aircraft. Produced an allmetal aircraft in 1921 and changed from biplane to monoplane configuration 1923. In 1924 flew the prototype of a monoplane fighter, the Wibault 7, produced from 1925 and built under license by PZL and Vickers.
Wieber, John C.
Milwaukee WI.
USA
Aeroplane builder circa 1934.
Wicko / Wickner Aircraft
Wickner Aircraft of Australia, formed by Geoffrey Wickner in 1929 to build the high-wing Wizard monoplane and light single-seat Lion monoplane. Rebuilt several Avro Avians before helping to form Foster Wickner.
Cheap and efficient aircraft were the hallmark of Geoffrey N. Wikner, who achieved a measure of success in his own country with his Wicko and Wicko Lion sports monoplanes, before setting up in Britain.
Wickham, James
Engineer James M. Wickham had studied engineering at Ohio State University, and graduated from MIT as an Aeronautical Engineer. Wickham’s career began at Chance-Vought, then in 1938 joined the Stearman division of Boeing. Starting in the 1950s, Wickham started designing and building his own series of homebuilt aircraft.
All Aero 