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Australia's CAC Wirraway trainer1
CAC Wirraway CA-1 trainer:  |
CAC Wirraway trainer:  |
CAC Wirraway trainer:  |
Design
The CAC (Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation) designed a similar plane to the North American NA-16-2K and called it the Wirraway, which is Aboriginal for challenge.1 The Wirraway added additional armament, strengthened structure for dive bombing, and under wing bomb racks.1
Engines
The CAC license built the Pratt & Whitney engines for the Wirraway.1
Prototype
The first CA-1 flew on March 27, 1939.1
Production
Production went until 1942, then it resumed in 1943.1 The final Wirraway was delivered in 1946.1
- CA-1: 401
- CA-3: 601
- CA-5: 321
- CA-7: 1001
- CA-8: 2001
- CA-9: 1881
- CA-16: 1351
- Total: 7551
Variants
- CA-16: Had modified wing to allow for dive bombing.1
Usage
There were fifteen Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadrons equipped with the Wirraway.1
Rabaul
Some Wirraways were used in the defense of Rabaul in early 1942.1
Score One Zero
In December 1942, near Gona, a No 4 Squadron Wirraway shot down a Zero.1
After World War II
The RAAF used the Wirraway as a trainer until 1958.1
| CAC Wirraway1 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Trainer1 |
| Crew | 21 |
| Engine (Type) | Pratt & Whitney/CAC R-1340-S1H1G Wasp1 |
| Cylinders | Radial 91 |
| Cooling | |
| HP | 6001 |
| Propeller blades | 31 |
| Dimensions | |
| Span | 43'1 13.1 m1 |
| Length | 27' 10"1 8.48 m1 |
| Height | 8' 9"1 2.66 m1 |
| Wing area | |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 3,992 lb1 1,811 kg1 |
| Loaded | 5,575 lb1 2,529 kg1 |
| Maximum loaded | 6,595 lb1 2,991 kg1 |
| Performance | |
| Speed @ 5,000' / 1,524 m |
220 mph1 354 kph1 |
| Cruising speed | 164 - 182 mph1 264 - 293 kph1 |
| Climb | 1,950'/minute1 594 m/minute1 |
| Service ceiling | 23,000'1 7,010 m1 |
| Range | 720 miles1 1,158 km1 |
| Armament | |
| Nose | 2: 0.303" MG1 |
| Rear cockpit | 1: 0.303" MG1 |
| Bombs | 500 lb1 227 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
