CAC Winjeel
The CAC Winjeel was a rookie trainer aircraft manufactured in Australia by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.
History and construction
1948 was the RAAF tender No. AC.77 for a new three-seater trainer aircraft, in order to replace the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane and CAC Wirraway training aircraft as a beginner. One of the requirements was to build a simple, rugged aircraft that was at the same time easy to maintain, moreover as possible should apply and low operating costs. The response of CAC was the proposal for a low-wing aircraft, the CA- 22nd
The new aircraft was a single-engine low-wing monoplane with fixed landing spur wheel chassis and equipped with a 9-cylinder radial engine. Teachers and students sat under a back -to-open sliding side by side. Moreover, a third seat could be installed behind the two pilots. After the first evaluation of the project, a contract was for the construction of two prototypes whose development lasted the next 18 months, signed in May 1949. The two units were completed in 1950 and approved in accordance with the tests on the ground in the flight test. The first of the two machines first flew on 23 February 1951. Since the test was successful, 62 copies were ordered. The Winjeel remained in service with the RAAF as a beginner training aircraft until 1977, when it was replaced by the New Zealand PAC CT / 4 Airtrainer.
A small number of Winjeels were used in the Forward Air Control ( FAC ) role from 1977 to 1994.
Variants
- CA -22 Winjeel: Prototype, two built
- CA -25 Winjeel: production version, 62 built
Military use
- Australia: Royal Australian Air Force