The prototype Swift (registered G-AARX) first flew at Hooton Park in January 1930.[1] The aircraft was a small single-seat, braced high-wing monoplane constructed of fabric-covered spruce wood frames.[2] The first Swift was powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) ABC Scorpion piston engine. After successful tests, seven more aircraft were built in 1930, powered by a 50 hp Salmson A.D.9 radial engine. Trials with PobjoyP radial engine for use in air racing resulted in all the subsequent aircraft being powered by the Pobjoy R. The last three factory-built aircraft (sometimes called the Gipsy Swift) were fitted with de Havilland Gipsy engines – two with 120 hp (89 kW) Gipsy Major III, and one with a 130 hp (97 kW) Gipsy Major. In 1931, Arthur Butler flew G-ABRE to Australia in nine days.[3] After touring the Eastern States, the Swift had covered twenty three thousand miles. One of the Gipsy Swifts, owned by the then-Prince of Wales and future King Edward VIII, won second place in the 1932 King's Cup Race while being flown by his personal pilot.[4] Postwar, surviving Swifts continued to compete successfully in UK air races into the mid-1950s.
Survivorsedit
EC-HAM Airworthy, displayed at Cuatro Vientos, Madrid, Spain. Owned by Fundación Infante de Orleans. Formerly G-ABUU, now painted to represent "EC-AAT" "Ciudad de Manila" as flown by Fernando R. Loring for his March 1933 flight Madrid-Manila.[5]
LV-FBA Stored, in Argentina.[5] Also, a second Comper Swift flew in Argentina. Parts saved and stored in Buenos Aires after accident in San Justo 1950– Owner Vicente Bonvisutto (Reg.G-AAZE R-232 LV-YEA LV-FCE)
VH-ACG (Gipsy engine) Airworthy[7][8] This aircraft was shipped to Oshkosh, USA for the EAA Airventure fly-in, and will be shipped back to Australia after the show.
VH-UVC Stored, in Sydney, Australia.[9] - According to Classic Wings Magazine, VH-UVC took to the skies for the first time in 55 years on 20 November 2017 at Omaka Airfield, Blenheim, New Zealand.
A new-build aircraft, registered G-ECTF, and built according to the original plans, with a Pobjoy Cataract engine, flew for the first time on 2 October 2015.[10][11]
Boughton, Terence. 1963. The Story of The British Light Aeroplane. John Murray
Follet, Neil (ed.) 2021. Aviation Heritage Vol52, No.2. The Arrivals - C.A. Butler. Journal of Aviation Historical Society of Australia Inc. ISSN 0815-4392
Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam. ISBN0-370-10010-7.
Johnson, Ian D. (July–August 2002). "Round-out". Air Enthusiast. No. 100. p. 75. ISSN 0143-5450.
Meaden, Jack & Fillmore, Malcolm. (Winter 2003). The Comper Lightplanes. Air-Britain Archive (quarterly). Air-Britain. ISSN 0262-4923
Meaden, Jack & Fillmore, Malcolm. (Autumn 2004). The Comper Lightplanes. Air-Britain Archive (quarterly). Air-Britain. ISSN 0262-4923
Meaden, Jack & Fillmore, Malcolm. (Winter 2004). The Comper Lightplanes. Air-Britain Archive (quarterly). Air-Britain. ISSN 0262-4923
Riding, Richard T. 1987. Ultralights: The Early British Classics. Patrick Stephens ISBN0-85059-748-X
Riding, Richard T. March 2003. Database: Comper Swift. Aeroplane Monthly. IPC Media
Smith, Ron. 2005. British Built Aircraft Vol.5: Northern England, Scotland, Wales and Northern IrelandISBN0-7524-3487-X
Swanborough, Gordon. "British Aircraft at War, 1939–1945". Air Pictorial, August 1994, Vol. 56, no. 8. pp. 369–371.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Comper Swift.
Nick Comper official website - suspended before 3 November 2020
April 07, 2024
comper, swift, comper, swift, british, 1930s, single, seat, sporting, aircraft, produced, comper, aircraft, company, hooton, park, cheshire, swiftrole, single, seat, sporting, aircraftmanufacturer, comper, aircraft, company, ltddesigner, nicholas, comperfirst,. The Comper C L A 7 Swift is a British 1930s single seat sporting aircraft produced by Comper Aircraft Company Ltd of Hooton Park Cheshire SwiftRole Single seat sporting aircraftManufacturer Comper Aircraft Company LtdDesigner Nicholas ComperFirst flight 1930Produced 1930 1933Number built 45 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Survivors 3 Operators 4 Specifications C L A 7 Swift 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksDesign and development editIn March 1929 Flight Lieutenant Nicholas Comper left the Royal Air Force and formed the Comper Aircraft Company to build an aircraft he had designed the Comper Swift He had previously designed and flown three aircraft for the Cranwell Light Aeroplane Club the C L A 2 C L A 3 and C L A 4 The prototype Swift registered G AARX first flew at Hooton Park in January 1930 1 The aircraft was a small single seat braced high wing monoplane constructed of fabric covered spruce wood frames 2 The first Swift was powered by a 40 hp 30 kW ABC Scorpion piston engine After successful tests seven more aircraft were built in 1930 powered by a 50 hp Salmson A D 9 radial engine Trials with Pobjoy P radial engine for use in air racing resulted in all the subsequent aircraft being powered by the Pobjoy R The last three factory built aircraft sometimes called the Gipsy Swift were fitted with de Havilland Gipsy engines two with 120 hp 89 kW Gipsy Major III and one with a 130 hp 97 kW Gipsy Major In 1931 Arthur Butler flew G ABRE to Australia in nine days 3 After touring the Eastern States the Swift had covered twenty three thousand miles One of the Gipsy Swifts owned by the then Prince of Wales and future King Edward VIII won second place in the 1932 King s Cup Race while being flown by his personal pilot 4 Postwar surviving Swifts continued to compete successfully in UK air races into the mid 1950s Survivors editEC HAM Airworthy displayed at Cuatro Vientos Madrid Spain Owned by Fundacion Infante de Orleans Formerly G ABUU now painted to represent EC AAT Ciudad de Manila as flown by Fernando R Loring for his March 1933 flight Madrid Manila 5 G ABTC Stored in Cornwall 5 G ABUS Stored believed in France 5 G ACGL On display RAF Museum Cosford 2 G ACTF Airworthy displayed at the Shuttleworth Collection Old Warden England 6 G LCGL Airworthy replica 2 LV FBA Stored in Argentina 5 Also a second Comper Swift flew in Argentina Parts saved and stored in Buenos Aires after accident in San Justo 1950 Owner Vicente Bonvisutto Reg G AAZE R 232 LV YEA LV FCE VH ACG Gipsy engine Airworthy 7 8 This aircraft was shipped to Oshkosh USA for the EAA Airventure fly in and will be shipped back to Australia after the show VH UVC Stored in Sydney Australia 9 According to Classic Wings Magazine VH UVC took to the skies for the first time in 55 years on 20 November 2017 at Omaka Airfield Blenheim New Zealand A new build aircraft registered G ECTF and built according to the original plans with a Pobjoy Cataract engine flew for the first time on 2 October 2015 10 11 nbsp Comper Swift G ACTF Operators edit nbsp SpainSpanish Republican Air Force 12 nbsp United KingdomRoyal Air Force 13 Specifications C L A 7 Swift edit nbsp Comper Swift with Gypsy III engine 3 view drawing from L Aerophile Salon 1932Data from Jackson 1974 14 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 17 ft 8 5 in 5 398 m Wingspan 24 ft 0 in 7 32 m Height 5 ft 3 5 in 1 613 m Wing area 90 sq ft 8 4 m2 Empty weight 540 lb 245 kg Gross weight 985 lb 447 kg Powerplant 1 Pobjoy R 7 cylinder air cooled geared radial piston engine 75 hp 56 kW Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch propellerPerformance Maximum speed 140 mph 230 km h 120 kn Range 380 mi 610 km 330 nmi Service ceiling 22 000 ft 6 700 m See also editRelated development Comper MouseRelated lists List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air ForceNotes edit Meaden 2003 a b c Riding 2003 Follett 2021 A Royal aviator Flight International magazine 15 June 1972 p 878 online archive version retrieved 10 August 2012 a b c d Meaden Autumn 2004 The Shuttleworth Collection Comper Swift permanent dead link Retrieved 28 February 2017 Meaden Winter 2004 Australian Civil Aircraft Register Old Timers Pilot 46 January 2012 Comper Swift G ECTF almost ready She flies 2 October 2015 Aircraft that took part in the Spanish Civil War Retrieved 14 April 2012 Swanborough 1994 p 369 Jackson 1974 References editBoughton Terence 1963 The Story of The British Light Aeroplane John Murray Follet Neil ed 2021 Aviation Heritage Vol52 No 2 The Arrivals C A Butler Journal of Aviation Historical Society of Australia Inc ISSN 0815 4392 Jackson A J 1974 British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2 London Putnam ISBN 0 370 10010 7 Johnson Ian D July August 2002 Round out Air Enthusiast No 100 p 75 ISSN 0143 5450 Meaden Jack amp Fillmore Malcolm Winter 2003 The Comper Lightplanes Air Britain Archive quarterly Air Britain ISSN 0262 4923 Meaden Jack amp Fillmore Malcolm Autumn 2004 The Comper Lightplanes Air Britain Archive quarterly Air Britain ISSN 0262 4923 Meaden Jack amp Fillmore Malcolm Winter 2004 The Comper Lightplanes Air Britain Archive quarterly Air Britain ISSN 0262 4923 Riding Richard T 1987 Ultralights The Early British Classics Patrick Stephens ISBN 0 85059 748 X Riding Richard T March 2003 Database Comper Swift Aeroplane Monthly IPC Media Smith Ron 2005 British Built Aircraft Vol 5 Northern England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland ISBN 0 7524 3487 X Swanborough Gordon British Aircraft at War 1939 1945 Air Pictorial August 1994 Vol 56 no 8 pp 369 371 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Part Work 1982 1985 Orbis Publishing External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Comper Swift Australian civil aircraft register search Comper Swift British Aircraft Directory https www flickr com photos airventure2009 3758521992 Nick Comper official website suspended before 3 November 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Comper Swift amp oldid 1193068639, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
