Winton swing wing

[Guernsey]

This is in reply to OZZIE who was requesting info and pictures of the Winton Swing Wing in another thread.

 

Hi Ozzie I bought the first prototype aircraft from Col Winton in 1995, it was flying but no paint job so I took it home and personalised it. I sold the aircraft three years later and it is still flying being based in Renmark, SA. Col built his second one just after he sold the one to me and fitted it with a hirth engine.

 

Some time later he removed the wings and converted from a swing wing to a low wing aircraft, so whilst he did build two, there is only one true Swing Wing left to my knowledge. My aircraft was fitted with a Rotax 277 single cyclinder engine which proved to be the best unit having tried a 503 which frightened the daylights out of him. I could cruise at 50knots at 5,000 revs or 55 knots at 5,500 revs or 60 knots at 6,000 revs.

 

Col stopped producing them because the rules had changed and he was only able to sell one or perhaps two per year otherwise he would be regarded as a manufacturer and have to go through lengthy and costly certification processing including manufacturing kits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guernsey]

Further to the above info, the first picture is showing the aircraft at Col' strip with the Rotax 503 and not completed painting.

 

The second photo is at my house, finished and ready to take to the airfield.

 

Third photo is of the cockpit with a very luxurious seat, fitted with the Rotax 277 and the name I gave it 'The Little Swinger'.

 

At one fly-in somebody remarked that it looked like a 'Noddy comes to toy town' aeroplane, perhaps I should have called it 'Noddy'.

 

This was and still is a remarkable aircraft and I would still own it today if finances and the threat of loosing my job had not forced me to sell it.

 

The improvements I made were a more substantial engine mount and removeable windows for summer flying. Alan.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Thanks for posting the photos. What a shame it never progressed any further than those few. A capable affordable little aircraft that fits completely into what the whole sport was created for. Another example of the AUF RAAus CASA losing the plot and over regulating the lower end (almost) out of existence.

 

 

[Guest studentbiggles]

Hi Guernsey(Alan) I've sat "only" and played with controls of "The Little Swinger" that Don Miller bought from you....a darling of a man and it just goes to show that flying keeps you young...he's 80yrs old I believe.........He joked to me once, when I stated to him what a beautifully maintained little A/C she is, he said he keeps her well up to stratch for I might like to buy her one day?.............There you go Ozzie, she may be on the market or you cud put in a bit............the seat is ssoooooooooo comfy Alan.

 

God isn' it a small world and a few months back I was telling a pilot from Tassie about her and he had not very heard of one!.....there you go, she is something special.

 

Cheers and Fly Safe Alley

 

PS. Guernsey have we met?......at the Truro Flyin last year?

 

 

[Guernsey]

Hi Sudentbiggles, you may have met me because I am the advisory radio controller for the fly-ins however last year I was away in Perth and missed the event.

 

You are right Don Miller is an absolute gem of a man and even though he now owns the swing wing he has always refered to it as 'our aeroplane.'

 

Don always said that if he sold it he would give me first option because he knew how upset I was to sell it. He now knows that I have a Supa Pup so would no longer require the Swing Wing however if it does come on the market I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. The performance is exceptional and burning only 5.5 ltrs fuel per hour.

 

I was a founder member of the Barossa Birdmen over 25 years ago. All the best hope to see you at this years Fly-in. Alan.

 

 

[Guest aussie carl]

What a neat looking plane.

 

Love the swinging wing concept, why doesen't some engineer adopt that swinging wing design in a 2 seater and the donk up the front.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes what a great idea !! Can't understand why more manufactures didn't use the concept. Only negative I can see would be watching those high side-winds on the highway as your towing...............thanks for the info and great photos Guernsey.............................Maj..

 

 

[Guernsey]

Hi everyone,

 

Thanks for your comments on the Swing Wing I believe that whoever ultimately owns it until it ceases to be flyable, they should donate it to the Holbrooks

 

museum of the early ultralights, I know that I certainly would.

 

Incidentally, although it was a 95.10 ultralight it had a very full panel of instruments so it could have been confronting to anyone who has flown anything less

 

than a 747. See attached photo. Alan.

 

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Would it be illegal to copy it to some extent? I mean, the swing wing isn't patented is it. As to side winds on freeways, easily overcome by looping a rope around the wing span and tying it in place with strings around the cord. Most drag on the rope would be along its length and therefore it would stay in place an spoil any Xwind lift.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Hi Deskpilot, the Swing Wing was not patented to my knowledge and a few years back Col Winton was selling the fibreglass moulds etc but I never knew if anyone did in fact buy them.

 

Having 'cut open' the fibreglass fuselage and made a stronger wing support and engine mount the construction is in fact very simple so it would be easy to copy. If anyone is interested it would be worth contacting

 

Don Miller at the Renmark Gliding Club as he may be ready to sell. STUDENTBIGGLES may be able to help also.

 

Regarding cross winds when towing I had no problems and Col Winton towed it all the way from the Gold Coast to Adelaide when I purchased it.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Hi Guys, I've just had a look through some of my aircraft photos and found one of Col Winton's second Swing Wing; this is the one with the Hirth engine which he later converted to a low wing

 

aircraft a bit like his Winton Sportsman. Incidentally Don Miller with his Swing Wing in Renmark had a friend up there with a Winton Sportsman and they used to go flying together. I remember

 

him telling me that although the Sportsman had a 447 engine, his Swing Wing had virtually the same performance with his 277 engine and burned only half the fuel.

 

I have incuded a photo of a Sportsman which may not be the one from Renmark as this I photographed at Meningie with my L4 Piper Cub in the background. Whilst I an on the subject of old photos,

 

here's one of my L4 Cub on it's own. Alan.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Pretty sure image 2 is a Grasshopper also Col's design.

 

 

[hihosland]

Valley Engineering in Kansas make a swing wing machine that they call the Backyard flyer

 

an interesting and fun machine

 

davidh

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I saw this at Airventure a couple years ago. All welded ali tube frame wing pivots . Powered by a industrial V twin engine that had been given a bit of reliability. Flew well built like a tank.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Hi Ozzie, my apologies you are right it is a Grasshopper. The Sportsman was sort of similar but had metal wing struts which were attached to the back of the cockpit

 

and came down to the wing. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Hi guys,

 

further to the above post back in Feb 2011, Don Miller has advised me that the Swing Wing is for sale.

 

Send me a PM and I will give you his contact details.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Should have waited until tomorrow to post the above as you are all no doubt enjoying Australia Day so I shall bump it into tomorrow.

 

Alan.