The Der Kricket DK-1 is a single seat, single engine biplane designed and built in the United States in the 1970s with an emphasis on simplicity. Several were built, as intended, by amateurs from plans in addition to some constructed by the four man design consortium.
John W. Dooley, Donald D. Miller, Cyril B. Smith and Roy E. Wheeler founded Flight Level Six_Zero (F L S Z) to design, construct and sell plans of a simple biplane. Work on the Der Kricket DK-1 began in 1971; though the first flight was not made until 19 September 1978, a second aircraft flew just five days later. The principal aim of the design was simplicity, making it easy to build and fly, straightforward to maintain and bringing good economy.[1]
The Kricket is a clean, equal span biplane with a single I-form streamlined interplane strut on each side and N-form cabane struts bracing the upper wing over the fuselage but with no flying wires. The lower wing is mounted at the fuselage bottom. Both wings have the same span and chord and they have significant stagger but neither dihedral nor sweep. The wings have two spars and are light alloy throughout including a pop-riveted skin, though the wing tips are glass fibre covered foam. Plain ailerons are fitted only on the lower wings; there are no trim tabs on them nor inboard flaps. The rear surfaces are both single piece, all-moving alloy cantilever structures with glass-fibre tips like the wings. The tailplane is mounted on the bottom of the fuselage and the fin is tall and upright. Both have anti-servo tabs.[1]
The fuselage is built from alloy angle, bolted and riveted together and skinned with light alloy. The plans allow for either flat or rounded sides, the latter requiring just one extra angle piece per side. The Kricket is powered by a 50-65 hp (37-48 kW) flat-fourVolkswagen air-cooled engine, installed with its cylinder heads and exhausts exposed outside the engine cowling, which drives a two blade propeller. The single seat places the pilot behind the trailing edge of the upper wing, giving him reasonable upward vision. Behind him the ventral decking slopes down to the tail. There is a fixed, conventional undercarriage with main wheels fitted with mechanical brakes, enclosed in speed fairings and mounted on wire braced, faired, light-alloy legs. The tail wheel is mounted on a long, shallowly inclined leg which reaches back to the elevator trailing edge.[1]
Operational history
Three Krickets were completed by F L S Z and registered in a consecutive block in the names of Dooley, Miller and Smith. The FAA register records four other examples, some at least of which were home-built by individuals from plans.[2]
^ abcdTaylor, John W. R. (1981). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1981-1982. London: Jane's Information Group. p. 524. ISBN0710607059.
^"U.S. civil aircraft register". Retrieved 14 January 2013.
^Ogden, Bob (2011). Aviation Museums and Collections of North America (2 ed.). Tonbridge, Kent: Air-Britain (Historians). p. 197. ISBN978-0851304274.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Der Kricket DK-1.
February 05, 2023
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The Der Kricket DK 1 is a single seat single engine biplane designed and built in the United States in the 1970s with an emphasis on simplicity Several were built as intended by amateurs from plans in addition to some constructed by the four man design consortium Der Kricket DK 1Der Kricket DK 1 on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space MuseumRole Single seat sport biplaneNational origin United StatesManufacturer Flight Level Six Zero F L S Z First flight 19 September 1978Number built at least 7 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Aircraft on display 4 Specifications 5 References 6 External linksDesign and development EditJohn W Dooley Donald D Miller Cyril B Smith and Roy E Wheeler founded Flight Level Six Zero F L S Z to design construct and sell plans of a simple biplane Work on the Der Kricket DK 1 began in 1971 though the first flight was not made until 19 September 1978 a second aircraft flew just five days later The principal aim of the design was simplicity making it easy to build and fly straightforward to maintain and bringing good economy 1 The Kricket is a clean equal span biplane with a single I form streamlined interplane strut on each side and N form cabane struts bracing the upper wing over the fuselage but with no flying wires The lower wing is mounted at the fuselage bottom Both wings have the same span and chord and they have significant stagger but neither dihedral nor sweep The wings have two spars and are light alloy throughout including a pop riveted skin though the wing tips are glass fibre covered foam Plain ailerons are fitted only on the lower wings there are no trim tabs on them nor inboard flaps The rear surfaces are both single piece all moving alloy cantilever structures with glass fibre tips like the wings The tailplane is mounted on the bottom of the fuselage and the fin is tall and upright Both have anti servo tabs 1 The fuselage is built from alloy angle bolted and riveted together and skinned with light alloy The plans allow for either flat or rounded sides the latter requiring just one extra angle piece per side The Kricket is powered by a 50 65 hp 37 48 kW flat four Volkswagen air cooled engine installed with its cylinder heads and exhausts exposed outside the engine cowling which drives a two blade propeller The single seat places the pilot behind the trailing edge of the upper wing giving him reasonable upward vision Behind him the ventral decking slopes down to the tail There is a fixed conventional undercarriage with main wheels fitted with mechanical brakes enclosed in speed fairings and mounted on wire braced faired light alloy legs The tail wheel is mounted on a long shallowly inclined leg which reaches back to the elevator trailing edge 1 Operational history EditThree Krickets were completed by F L S Z and registered in a consecutive block in the names of Dooley Miller and Smith The FAA register records four other examples some at least of which were home built by individuals from plans 2 Aircraft on display EditDer Kricket DK 1 N603DM ex Donald Miller is on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum Denver 3 Der Kricket DK 1 N601CS is on display at the Mid America Air Museum Liberal Kansas Specifications EditData from Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1981 82 1 All performance at maximum take off weight General characteristicsCrew One Length 16 ft 0 in 4 88 m Wingspan 16 ft 0 in 4 88 m both upper and lower Height 5 ft 6 in 1 68 m Wing area 96 0 sq ft 8 92 m2 Aspect ratio 5 33 Airfoil NACA 4412 Empty weight 549 lb 249 kg Max takeoff weight 780 lb 354 kg Fuel capacity 8 US gal 6 7 Imp gal 30 3 L Powerplant 1 Volkswagen air cooled flat four 60 hp 45 kW approximate power Propellers 2 bladed Cassidy 4 ft 6 in 1 37 m diameter wooden fixed pitchPerformance Maximum speed 115 mph 185 km h 100 kn Cruise speed 95 mph 153 km h 83 kn ecomical Stall speed 52 mph 84 km h 45 kn power off Never exceed speed 138 mph 222 km h 120 kn Range 200 mi 322 km 174 nmi maximum fuel Service ceiling 12 000 ft 3 700 m service Rate of climb 830 ft min 4 2 m s at sea level Take off run 700 ft 213 m Take off to 50 ft 15 m 1 100 ft 335 m Landing from 50 ft 15 m 950 ft 290 m Landing run 650 ft 198 m References Edit a b c d Taylor John W R 1981 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1981 1982 London Jane s Information Group p 524 ISBN 0710607059 U S civil aircraft register Retrieved 14 January 2013 Ogden Bob 2011 Aviation Museums and Collections of North America 2 ed Tonbridge Kent Air Britain Historians p 197 ISBN 978 0851304274 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Der Kricket DK 1 NACA 4412 airfoil Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title F L S Z Der Kricket DK 1 amp oldid 1101444828, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
