Just say it was just out of the shop and still requiring work. ![Wink ;)](http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/Smileys/clabIcons/wink.gif)
![Cheesy :D](http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/Smileys/clabIcons/cheesy.gif)
Cheers Mark. The twin-engined
Alizé isn't much of a looker but I like the concept nonetheless.
On to something else ...
Commonwealth Aircraft CA-26 Super WackettThe CAC CA-26
Super Wackett was actually a joint project between Commonwealth Aircraft and de Havilland Australia. This 1948 programme involved the wholesale re-manufacturing of retired CA-6
Wackett airframes to provide the RAAF with a more modern basic trainer. Within that re-manufacturing programme, CAC was responsible for airframe work while DHA provided (and late produce) adapted DHC-1 Chipmunk components - including engine mounts, cowlings, and canopies.
DHA also supplied
Gipsy engines and propellers as well as rebuilding CA-6
Wackett undercarriage assemblies. CAC produced an entirely new, all-metal structure wing and refurbished existing CA-6 fuselage frames for the
Super Wackett programme. Ultimately, an entirely new tailplane - insired by the license-built CA-17
Mustang fighter was also built for 'production' conversion CA-26s.
The new, metal wing was smaller than the original to give a livelier performance. Span was reduced to 34.5 feet (10.51 m) with area down to 170 square feet (15.79 m²). It was originally intended to keep the wooden tailplane from the CA-6 - as on the prototype CA-26 - but, to reduce maintenance loads, it was later decided to provide a new empennage of metal construction. One result of all this reworking was a reduction in all-up weight of 200 lbs (100 kg). That was essential in allowing the CA-6's Warner
Scarab radial engine to be replaced while retaining adequate take-off performance. [1]
The CA-26
Super Wackett would be powered by a 145 hp de Havilland
Gipsy Major 1C inline. [2] Serving until the mid-'50s, the
Super Wackett received the RAAF serial prefix of A33 [3] with aircraft numbers being inherited from their CA-6 'doner' airframe - so, A33-77 illustrated was re-manufactured from CA-6 c/n 311 (formerly A3-77 of 3 EFTS).
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[1] There was no weight-savings in changing engines since the
Gipsy Major 1C and Warner
Scarab had the same dry weight.
[2] Ironically, this was a postwar version of the 130 hp DH
Gipsy Major engines originally fitted to the CA-12 prototypes.