The Tipsy Nipper T.66 is an aerobaticlight aircraft, developed in 1952 by Ernest Oscar Tips of Avions Fairey at Gosselies in Belgium. It was designed to be easy to fly, cheap to buy and cheap to maintain. It was designed for both factory production and homebuild. "Nipper" was the nickname of Ernest Tips' first grandchild.
T.66 Nipper
Swiss Tipsy Nipper at Wroughton, Wiltshire, in July 1992
The first aircraft flew on 12 December 1957, with test pilot Bernard Neefs. It featured an open cockpit and had a length of 4.56 m (15.0 ft), a span of 6.0 m (19.7 ft) and a range of 400 km (249 mi), extendable with tip tanks to 720 km (447 mi).
The aircraft has a welded steel tube fuselage and rudder with a wooden and fabric covered wing, tailplane and elevator. It weighs 165 kg without an engine. Early aircraft were equipped with a 40 hp Stamo Volkswagen air-cooled engine with later types using either 40 hp Pollman-Hepu or 45 hp Stark Stamo engines. More recently the 85 hp (63 kW) Jabiru 2200 engine has been used.[2]
During 1962 the rights and a large assortment of uncompleted parts were sold to Cobelavia SA -Compagnie Belge d'Aviation, and they assembled 18 Nippers. The type was renamed as the Cobelavia D-158 Nipper.
In June 1966 the license was sold to Nipper Aircraft Ltd at Castle Donington and new Mk.III aircraft were built for them by Slingsby Sailplanes at Kirkbymoorside. Production was ended by the fire at Slingsby's in late 1968 and the subsequent bankruptcy. Several partly constructed Nippers were transferred to Castle Donington.[3]
In May 1971 Nipper Aircraft Ltd. stopped work and sold the license to a company called Nipper Kits and Components, a company that helps home builders with parts and plans.[4]
Operational historyedit
In 2000, about 45 Nippers were still active, mostly in the UK.[1] In 2010, 34 Nippers were registered with the British Civil Aviation Authority, where as of 2017, 19 remained.[5]
Variantsedit
Tipsy Nipper T.66 Mk 1
First production model, powered by a 30 kW (40 hp) Pollman-Hepu engine. Enclosed canopy.[6]
Tipsy Nipper T.66 Mk 2
Second production model; as first but powered by a 33.5 kW (45 hp) Stark Stamo engine.
Nipper Mk III
Slingsby-built for Nipper Aircraft normally with 1500 cc, 33.5 kW (45 hp) Rollason Ardem Mk X engines,[7] 32 built.[3] Tip tanks optional.[7]
Ellison, Norman (1971). British Gliders and Sailplanes. London: A & C Black. ISBN978-0-7136-1189-2.
Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN1-84037-115-3.
Taylor, John W. R. (1966). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1966–67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. OCLC 215069972.
January 01, 1970
tipsy, nipper, aerobatic, light, aircraft, developed, 1952, ernest, oscar, tips, avions, fairey, gosselies, belgium, designed, easy, cheap, cheap, maintain, designed, both, factory, production, homebuild, nipper, nickname, ernest, tips, first, grandchild, nipp. The Tipsy Nipper T 66 is an aerobatic light aircraft developed in 1952 by Ernest Oscar Tips of Avions Fairey at Gosselies in Belgium It was designed to be easy to fly cheap to buy and cheap to maintain It was designed for both factory production and homebuild Nipper was the nickname of Ernest Tips first grandchild T 66 Nipper Swiss Tipsy Nipper at Wroughton Wiltshire in July 1992 Role Single seat sporting monoplane Designer Ernest Oscar Tips First flight 1957 Primary user private owners Number built 110 1 The first aircraft flew on 12 December 1957 with test pilot Bernard Neefs It featured an open cockpit and had a length of 4 56 m 15 0 ft a span of 6 0 m 19 7 ft and a range of 400 km 249 mi extendable with tip tanks to 720 km 447 mi Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specification Mk 2 5 ReferencesDesign and development editThe aircraft has a welded steel tube fuselage and rudder with a wooden and fabric covered wing tailplane and elevator It weighs 165 kg without an engine Early aircraft were equipped with a 40 hp Stamo Volkswagen air cooled engine with later types using either 40 hp Pollman Hepu or 45 hp Stark Stamo engines More recently the 85 hp 63 kW Jabiru 2200 engine has been used 2 Production was between 1959 and 1961 with Avions Fairey delivering 59 complete aircraft and 78 kits Avions Fairey stopped production to make capacity available for F 104G Starfighter assembly for the Belgian Air Force During 1962 the rights and a large assortment of uncompleted parts were sold to Cobelavia SA Compagnie Belge d Aviation and they assembled 18 Nippers The type was renamed as the Cobelavia D 158 Nipper In June 1966 the license was sold to Nipper Aircraft Ltd at Castle Donington and new Mk III aircraft were built for them by Slingsby Sailplanes at Kirkbymoorside Production was ended by the fire at Slingsby s in late 1968 and the subsequent bankruptcy Several partly constructed Nippers were transferred to Castle Donington 3 In May 1971 Nipper Aircraft Ltd stopped work and sold the license to a company called Nipper Kits and Components a company that helps home builders with parts and plans 4 Operational history editIn 2000 about 45 Nippers were still active mostly in the UK 1 In 2010 34 Nippers were registered with the British Civil Aviation Authority where as of 2017 19 remained 5 Variants editTipsy Nipper T 66 Mk 1 First production model powered by a 30 kW 40 hp Pollman Hepu engine Enclosed canopy 6 Tipsy Nipper T 66 Mk 2 Second production model as first but powered by a 33 5 kW 45 hp Stark Stamo engine Nipper Mk III Slingsby built for Nipper Aircraft normally with 1500 cc 33 5 kW 45 hp Rollason Ardem Mk X engines 7 32 built 3 Tip tanks optional 7 Cobelavia D 158 Nipper Production variant 18 built 8 Specification Mk 2 editData from Simpson 2001 p 549General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 4 5 m 14 ft 9 in Wingspan 5 99 m 19 ft 8 in Height 1 88 m 6 ft 2 in Empty weight 299 kg 659 lb Powerplant 1 Stark Stamo 1400A 34 kW 45 hp Performance Maximum speed 162 km h 101 mph 87 kn Cruise speed 150 km h 93 mph 81 kn Range 320 km 200 mi 170 nmi Rate of climb 3 25 m s 640 ft min References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tipsy Nipper a b Simpson 2001 p 549 Tacke Willi Marino Boric et al World Directory of Light Aviation 2015 16 page 120 Flying Pages Europe SARL 2015 ISSN 1368 485X a b Ellison 1971 pp 270 1 Bayerl Robby Martin Berkemeier et al World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011 12 page 113 WDLA UK Lancaster UK 2011 ISSN 1368 485X CAA list of Nippers Sport Aviation June 1960 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help a b Taylor 1966 p 165 Air Progress Sport Aircraft Winter 1969 76 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Ellison Norman 1971 British Gliders and Sailplanes London A amp C Black ISBN 978 0 7136 1189 2 Simpson Rod 2001 Airlife s World Aircraft Shrewsbury Airlife ISBN 1 84037 115 3 Taylor John W R 1966 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1966 67 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co OCLC 215069972 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tipsy Nipper amp oldid 1041585357, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
