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Subject: Currie Wot
Date: 3 Jan 2019 07:32:47 -0800
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currie_Wot
The Currie Wot (pronounced as "what") was a 1930s British single-seat aerobatic
biplane aircraft. Plans were sold for home building of the aircraft.
The Wot was designed by J R (Joe) Currie, and two examples were built by Cinque
Ports Aviation Limited at Lympne Aerodrome in 1937. They were both powered by a
single 40 hp Aeronca-JAP J-99 two-cylinder engines, but had minor differences in
design. They were designated the Wot 1 and Wot 2; the name came about whilst
Currie was building the first aircraft and being tired with being asked what he
would call it, replied: "Call it Wot you blooming well like". Currie built two
destroyed in 1940 during a Second World War German air raid on Lympne.
After the war, at the request of Viv Bellamy, then Chief Flying Instructor at
the Hampshire Aeroplane Club (HAC) at Eastleigh, Currie used the same drawings
to enable the HAC to build two more examples under the supervision of J O
Isaacs. The first aircraft, registered G-APNT, first flew on 11 September 1958.
G-APNT was soon re-engined with a four-cylinder 60 hp Walter Mikron II engine
and was also trialled using floats. With the more powerful Mikron engine it was
known as the Hot Wot and later, with the floats, as the Wet Wot. The floatplane
version was not a success and they were soon removed. With the original
Aeronca-JAP engine fitted it was delivered on 29 May 1959 as the personal
aircraft of Westland Aircraft test pilot H J Penrose, who christened the
aeroplane 'Airymouse' and wrote a book of the same name about his experiences
flying the aircraft. The second aircraft, registered G-APWT had a number of
different engines fitted for trials, including a 60 hp Rover TP60/1 industrial
gas turbine engine, before being delivered to Elstree Aerodrome in 1962. G-APWT
was later sold to Robert Rust Sr. and relocated to Fayetteville, Georgia in the
United States. The aircraft was restored to flying condition and flew again for
the first time in 2008 with an original Walter Mikron engine. At the time it
carried the registration N67247, but the registration was allowed to lapse in
2013.
Role
Single-seat aerobatic
Manufacturer
Homebuilt
Designer
J.R.Currie
First flight
1937
Variants
Turner Two Seat Wot
Aircraft plans were sold to amateur builders and soon examples were being
constructed, the first homebuilt aircraft flying in 1963. The aircraft featured
all-wood construction with fabric covering. The most unusual Wots were built in
1967 by Slingsby Sailplanes Limited. Slingsby built six aircraft modified to
represent the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5A for film work. They were powered by
115 hp Lycoming O-235 engines with dummy exhausts and other modifications as
0.83 scale replicas. They were delivered to Ireland and fitted with dummy guns
for the film Darling Lili. Some of the aircraft were also used in the films I
Shot Down Richthofen, I Think, and Dubious Patriot. The Currie Super Wot is
clipped-wing variant with X-bracing between the undercarriage V-struts instead
of a through axle. Other refinements in the Super Wot include rounding out the
fuselage with formers and stringers and doing away with the upper wing
centre-section, replacing the cabane struts with inverted V tubular struts in a
similar style to the Pitts Special. These refinements result in a faster cruise
and enhanced climb rate and a quicker roll rate. A Super Wot fitted with a 90hp
Continental will fly a quarter-vertical roll, which is probably outside the
capability of the standard Wot. Nick Bloom wrote a series of articles about his
Super Wot which appeared in Pilot Magazine under the title 'Diary of a
Homebuilder'. His Currie Super Wot is one of only two on the G-register, and has
the registration G-BGES.
The design rights for the Currie Wot were first sold to Dr J H B Urmston
(trading as Botley Aircraft), who sold the designs to Phoenix Aircraft Limited.
Specifications (Currie Wot)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Wingspan: 22 ft 1 in (6.73 m)
Height: 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Empty weight: 550 lb (250 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 900 lb (408 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 95 mph (83 knots, 153 km/h)
Range: 240 miles (209 nmi, 386 km)
Rate of climb: 600 ft/min (3.0 m/s)
*
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