CAC Wirraway

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Wirraway
Role Trainer/general purpose
Manufacturer Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
First flight 1937 (see Development)
Introduction 1939
Retired 1959
Primary users Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Navy
Produced 1939–1946
Number built 755
Developed from North American NA-16
Developed into CAC Boomerang

The CAC Wirraway is a training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1939 and 1946. It was an Australian development of the North American NA-16 training aircraft. The Wirraway has been credited as being the foundation of Australian aircraft manufacturing.[1]

When the name was announced on 6 April 1938, it was said to be "an Aboriginal word meaning challenge".[2] The word presumably comes from Daniel Bunce's compilation Language of the Aborigines of the colony of Victoria, where Wirraway is glossed 'challenge; dare, to defy; incite, to stir up; menace, to threaten'.[3]

During the

ground attack capacity, striking against the advancing forces of the Empire of Japan. While the type had been primarily used as a general purpose aircraft, being present in small quantities within the majority of front-line squadrons for these purposes, the aircraft was often pressed into combat when required. Typically, fighter versions of the Wirraway were operated over theatres such as New Guinea to perform ground attack missions and other Army co-operation tasks over extended periods until more advanced aircraft had become available in sufficient quantities. On 12 December 1942, the Wirraway achieved its only shoot-down of an enemy aircraft—thought to be a Mitsubishi A6M Zero at the time, but later determined to be a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa[4]
—while flown by Pilot Officer John S. "Jack" Archer.

Following the end of the conflict, the Wirraway was operated for over a decade as a trainer by the RAAF, the newly formed RAN Fleet Air Arm, and the squadrons of the Citizen Air Force. During 1957, the last of the RAN's Wirraways was retired, having been replaced by the newer jet-powered de Havilland Vampire; as the CAC Winjeel came into squadron service, the RAAF phasing out its remaining fleet of Wirraways during the late 1950s. Officially, the last military flight to be performed by the type was conducted on 27 April 1959. Notably, the Wirraway had also functioned as the starting point for the design of a wartime "emergency fighter", which was also developed and manufactured by CAC, known as the Boomerang.

Development

Background

During the mid-1930s, some political leaders observed that both the

Australian government decided to embark upon the development and expansion of the RAAF into a fighting force capable of defending the nation against external aggressors, in line with recommendations made by a formal evaluation compiled by Sir John Salmond in 1928. Allegedly, the move in Australia had been heavily influenced by a British decision taken in May 1935 to massively increase the front-line strength of the Royal Air Force (RAF).[1]

However, it was recognised that, while Britain had traditionally been the main source of aircraft for Australia, comprising around 50 per cent of all operational aircraft at one point, British industry was already coming under strain to meet the demands for the RAF (a planned front line strength of 1,500 aircraft by 1930), let alone satisfying major orders from other nations.

Wing Commander Lawrence Wackett, were sent on an overseas evaluation mission to inspect aircraft production in Europe, Britain, and the United States, as well as to support the selection of an aircraft design for local production in Australia.[1]

In light of the industrial circumstances, the production of cutting-edge high performance fighter aircraft, such as the Supermarine Spitfire, were viewed as being too ambitious and a potential jeopardy to the whole venture.[1] The government's position focused on the establishment of an industrial base capable of producing aircraft; thus, it was determined that the first aircraft to be domestically manufactured should be a reliable and established general purpose aircraft, while a long-term goal of proceeding to locally produce high-performance fighters would take around five years to attain. The question of what specific aircraft should be manufactured was a more complex question, as it was quickly recognised that there was no existing aircraft in RAAF service that was attractive to pursue local production of.[6]

On 17 October 1936, with the encouragement of the Government of Australia, three companies came together to form a joint venture, registered as the

Victoria, purchasing tooling and equipment from manufacturers in both Britain and the United States.[5] The newly formed company quickly decided that it would initially pursue the development and production of a single-engine armed advanced trainer aircraft, which would likely be a licence-built version of an existing aircraft.[5] An investigation of various European and American-sourced aircraft was conducted to judge candidate designs for suitability.[6]

Selection

The aircraft selected by CAC was the North American Aviation (NAA) NA-16,[7] upon the recommendation of Lawrence Wackett.[8] The selection was heavily fuelled by the relatively low level of difficulty involved in the manufacture of both the airframe and its Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine. The application for the NA-16 was often viewed as being suitable for the trainer aircraft role, but that it could also play some role as a fighter-bomber as well, although there were doubts voiced by senior figures over its combat suitability.[7] The selection was not without controversy as some voices within the Australian government were keen for aircraft manufacturing and development to be kept within the Commonwealth of Nations. In 1938, an inspection by Sir Edward Ellington of the then in-development Wirraway in 1938 led to him to express his opinion that the type should only serve temporarily in combat roles, and that the choice should be delayed to await the testing of a suitable British aircraft for the mission.[7]

Nevertheless, the proposal of producing a modified variant of the NA-16, known as the Wirraway, received official approval.

Australian Air Board, which had been subject to considerable criticism by Ellington; the board defended the Wirraway as being the best available aircraft in its class.[10]

During 1937,

BC-1). These two aircraft were also known by their NAA project accounting codes (NA-32 for the NA-16-1A and NA-33 for the NA-16-2K) sometimes leading to confusion; these accounting codes (or "charge" codes) were used internally by NAA to track their projects and were not the actual aircraft model numbers.[11][10] During August 1937, the NA-16-1A arrived in Australia and, following its re-assembly, flew for the first time at Laverton on 3 September of that year, exactly two years before war was declared on Nazi Germany by the United Kingdom and France. During September 1937, the NA-16-2K arrived in Australia and likewise flew shortly afterwards. These aircraft were given the RAAF serials A20-1 and A20-2 within that organisation's numbering system.[10]

Production

Wirraway aircraft under construction at a CAC factory in 1940

The NA-16-2K model was the type selected for initial production. The design featured several detail and structural changes, such as provisions for the fitting of a pair of forward-firing guns instead of the NA-16's single gun, and the strengthening of the tail and wings to better facilitate dive-bombing operations.[12][10] Other modifications included the adoption of a single gun set on a swivelling mount to the rear of the cockpit, along with the installation of cameras and radio sets.[10] On 27 March 1939, the first CA-1 Wirraway, RAAF serial A20-3, performed its maiden flight. This aircraft was subsequently retained by CAC for evaluation and trials for a number of months; on 10 July 1939, the first pair of Wirraways to be delivered to the RAAF, serials A20-4 and A20-5, were received by the service.[10]

By the outbreak of the Second World War, the RAAF had received a total of six Wirraways. Early on, it became clear that CAC's rate of manufacture of the airframes outstripped Australian capacity to produce the Wasp engines to power the type.[13] During 1940, having observed an excess of Australian capacity, Britain issued an offer to procure any Wirraway airframes that could be produced that had not already been allocated to fulfil RAAF orders, intending to fit US-built Wasp engines to power them. This led to the placing of an initial British order for 245 aircraft, the last of which was to be delivered before the end of 1942.[13] During October 1940, this order was expanded to cover 500 aircraft, 300 of which being scheduled for delivery during 1943. While these orders were ultimately unmet due to the implementation of the extensive American-led Lend-Lease arrangement, the British government did finance the procurement of aircraft for Australian use within the Empire Air Training Scheme.[13]

Forty CA-1 Wirraways were constructed before the improved CA-3 variant entered production. Although there were detail changes to the design, the change in designation had more to do with the next batch of Wirraways being built to a different government contract than any real difference between the two sub-types. During February 1942, the Australian War Cabinet issued its approval for the production of 105 Wirraway interceptors as "reinsurance against [an] inability to obtain fighter aircraft from overseas". Around this time, the War Cabinet also decided to reject an order for 245 Wirraways that had been received from Britain.[14] In July 1940, at which point the United Kingdom was the sole European nation fighting against German in the war, the Australian Government issued a statement advising that "from this date onward Australia can rely on England for no further supplies of any aircraft materials or equipment of any kind.[5]

The CA-5, CA-7, CA-8 and CA-9 models were all broadly similar to the CA-3; only the CA-16 variant featured substantial design changes; amongst other purposes, several wing modifications had been made to allow for the carriage of a heavier bomb load, along with the addition of dive brakes for dive-bombing.[12] Sets of 'dive bomber' wings (as fitted to the CA-16) were built under the designation of CA-10A (the CA-10 model was a proposed dive-bomber variant that remained unbuilt),[12] and retrofitted to CA-3s, −5s, −7s and −9s; 113 Wirraways were converted. Production of the type continued even after the end of the Second World War. In July 1946, CA-16 A20-757, the last aircraft to be built of a total of 755 Wirraways, was delivered to the RAAF.

Design

The CAC Wirraway was a training and general purpose military aircraft. The fuselage comprised a welded framework composed of chromium steel, which was constructed from four separately produced sections bolted together during final assembly.[15] The sides of the fuselage featured fabric covering supported by aluminium alloy frames, while the underside and decking has metal coverings instead. The single-spar wings, which were built in five individual sections, were composed of spaced ribs and a stressed skin.[15] The control surfaces were metal-framed with fabric covering; the split-flap arrangement of early Wirraways were supplemented on later-built aircraft via the addition of dive brakes. An all-metal stressed skin construction was used for the tailplane and fin; both sides of the tailplane were interchangeable.[15]

The Wirraway was powered by a single 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine, licence-built by CAC and allowing the aircraft to reach speeds of up to 191 knots.

canopy; both positions were fitted with flying controls. In addition, the rear cockpit featured a rotatable folding seat for the gunner/bomb-aimer, as well as a prone bombing position in the floor of the aircraft. The Wirraway could carry a light armament of a single 500 lb bomb or a pair of 250 lb bombs under the wings; light bombs or flares could also be carried underneath the centreline section. Additionally, a pair of forward-firing Vickers Mk.V machine guns were fitted along with a single swivel-mounted Vickers Mk 1 machine gun positioned at the rear of the cockpit.[19]
A later variant (CA-16) received strengthened wing struts, which allowed the installation of four 250lb or two 500lb and two 250lb bombs.

The Wirraway could also carry two 200lb storepedos[20] fitted with parachutes which were used to deliver supplies and munitions to troops in the field.

Operational history

Wartime service

In June 1939, in light of the declining situation in Europe and the increasing likelihood of a major conflict, the Chief of the Air staff recommended the expansion of the RAAF to a total of 32 squadrons; of these, preparations for nine general purpose squadrons, which were intended to be equipped with the Wirraway, were immediately put into motion.[13] On 25 August 1939, one month after the first deliveries of the Wirraway had occurred, an official State of Emergency was declared; on 3 September 1939, as the Second World War broke out in Europe, Australia decided to mobilise the entirety of its air force, placing all squadrons on short call for combat operations. However, during the first year of the war, the Wirraway was still being introduced in quantity within many squadrons; this effort was delayed by a temporary shortage of available spare parts.[13]

Wirraways assigned to No. 5 Service Flying Training School

As its American "cousin" the

observers, and had some successes.[21][22]

As early as 1941, reports on the capabilities of Japanese fighter aircraft fuelled the perception that the Wirraway would be incapable of effectively engaging such aircraft; however, the type was judged to possess some merits in combat despite being considered to be obsolete.[23] Regardless, the type was often put into action against the advancing Japanese forces. On 6 January 1942, Wirraways of No. 24 Squadron attempted to intercept Japanese seaplanes flying over New Britain; only one managed to engage an enemy aircraft, marking the first air-to-air combat between RAAF and Japanese forces.[24] Two weeks later, eight 24 Squadron Wirraways defended the city of Rabaul from over 100 Japanese attacking bombers and fighters, resulting in the destruction or severe damage of all but two of the Australian aircraft.[25][26]

A Wirraway at a forward airstrip in New Guinea in 1944

On 12 December 1942, Pilot Officer J. S. Archer shot down a Japanese fighter aircraft (thought at the time to be an Mitsubishi A6M Zero, but found after the war to be a Ki-43 Hayabusa) after having spotted it around 1000 feet (about 300 metres) below him and dived on it, opening fire and sending the aircraft hurtling into the sea.[12][1] This was the only occasion that a Wirraway shot down another aircraft (making it more successful than its fighter offspring, the Boomerang).

In response to a request by

Curtiss P-40s were made available in sufficient quantity to replace them.[27]

By mid-1943, nearly all frontline use of the Wirraway had come to an end, having been replaced by the newer Boomerang, itself a fighter-orientated derivative of the Wirraway.

5th Air Force in full United States Army Air Forces
markings.

Post-war and civil service

Post-war the Wirraway continued in RAAF service as a trainer at Uranquinty and Point Cook and was taken on strength by the newly formed RAN Fleet Air Arm in 1948. Wirraways also served with the squadrons of the Citizen Air Force (a flying reserve force of the RAAF established in 1948) alongside CAC Mustangs, partially equipping No. 22 (City of Sydney), No. 23 (City of Brisbane), No. 24 (City of Adelaide) and No. 25 (City of Perth) Squadrons. Duties were not limited to training flights: a Wirraway patrolling for sharks crashed on a beach at Maroochydore on 30 December 1950, killing three children and injuring 14 other people.[28]

Twenty-four Wirraways were delivered to the

Tocumwal for disposal.[31]

A surviving CA-16 Wirraway operating as a warbird

In 1954, Super Spread Aviation, based at

airshow at Nowra in 1999, killing the two occupants.[34]

Variants

CA-1 "Mk I"
Initial contract variant. 40 built.[18]
CA-3 "Mk II"
Improved CA-1, ordered by AWC under new contract. Known additionally as Mark II's until CA-9 model. 60 built.[18]
CA-5
32 built.[18]
CA-7
100 built.[18]
CA-8
200 built.[18]
CA-9
188 built.[18]
CA-10
Planned dive-bomber version. None built.[35]
CA-10A
Contract to modify and install dive brakes to existing Wirraway aircraft. 17 Modified.[35]
CA-16 "Mk III"
Improved performance, bombload and addition of dive brakes. 135 built.[18]
CA-20
Contract for dive-bomber variant. Cancelled.[35]

Operators

 Australia
 United Kingdom
  • Royal Air Force
    • 'Y' Squadron RAF in Malaya 1941–1942, ex-21 Squadron RAAF aircraft
 United States

Surviving aircraft

The oldest surviving Wirraway preserved at Moorabbin Airport Melbourne.
A20-653 at Temora Aviation Museum.

Specifications (CAC Wirraway)

Data from Green[61]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 27 ft 10 in (8.48 m)
  • Wingspan: 43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 8+3⁄4 in (2.661 m) excluding radio mast
  • Wing area: 255.75 sq ft (23.760 m2)
  • Empty weight: 3,992 lb (1,811 kg)
  • Gross weight: 6,595 lb (2,991 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 ×
    Pratt & Whitney R-1340 S1H1-G nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine
    , 600 hp (450 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 220 mph (350 km/h, 190 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
  • Cruise speed: 182 mph (293 km/h, 158 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
  • Range: 720 mi (1,160 km, 630 nmi) at 164 mph (143 kn; 264 km/h)
  • Service ceiling: 23,000 ft (7,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,950 ft/min (9.9 m/s)

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Profile number 154 1967, p. 3
  2. ^ ""Wirraway" Aircraft". The Age. No. 25888. Victoria, Australia. p. 8. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Language of the Aborigines of the colony of Victoria, and other Australian districts : with parallel... - Catalogue | National Library of Australia". nla.gov.au. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Australian War Memorial: CAC Wirraway – the Unlikely "Zero Killer"". 17 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e Francillon 1967, p. 3.
  6. ^ a b Profile number 154 1967, pp. 3–4
  7. ^ a b c d Profile number 154 1967, p. 4
  8. ^ Hagedorn 2009, pp. 53–56
  9. ^ Profile number 154 1967, pp. 4–5
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Profile number 154 1967, p. 5
  11. ^ Smith 2000, p. 8.
  12. ^
    ISBN 1875671080
    .
  13. ^ a b c d e Profile number 154 1967, p. 6
  14. ^ War Cabinet Minute, Melbourne 2 February 1942, (1845) Agendum No.46/1942 – Aircraft Production Policy.
  15. ^ a b c Profile number 154 1967, p. 10
  16. ^ Profile number 154 1967, pp. 6, 12
  17. ^ Navy (13 December 2021). "CAC CA-16 Wirraway". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 20 March 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h Profile number 154 1967, p. 12
  19. ^ Profile number 154 1967, pp. 5, 12
  20. ^ "The Wirraway". T6 Harvard Aviation. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  21. ^ Gillison 1962, p. 338
  22. ^ Profile number 154 1967, p. 7
  23. ^ Profile number 154 1967, pp. 6–7
  24. ^ Gillison 1962, pp. 318–320
  25. ^ Gillison 1962, pp. 354–355
  26. ^ Profile number 154 1967, pp. 7–8
  27. ^ a b c d Profile number 154 1967, p. 9
  28. ^ Williams, Patrick (29 December 2010). "Site marks plane crash". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  29. ^ Wirraway service cards, National Archives of Australia, NAA: A10297, Block 107; NAA A10297, Block 488B and NAA 10297, Block 108.
  30. ^ Fleet Association (13 December 2021). "WIRRAWAY PHOTO HISTORY". Fleet Air Arm Association Australia . Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  31. ^ Hagedorn 2009, p. 56
  32. ISBN 0-646-24840-5
  33. ^ Australian civil aircraft register Archived 11 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine searches, conducted using "CA-3", "CA-5", "CA-7", "CA-8", "CA-9" and "CA-16" as search parameters. Searches conducted 30 March 2011.
  34. ^ Warbird Alley 1999 News Archive retrieved 18 October 2007.
  35. ^ a b c "DB Design Bureau - CAC Wirraway technical information". dbdesignbureau.buckmasterfamily.id.au. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  36. ^ "CAC CA-1 Wirraway A20-10". Australian National Aviation Museum. Australian Aircraft Restoration Group. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  37. ^ Taylan, Justin (3 May 2016). "CA-1 Wirraway Serial Number A20-13". Pacific Wrecks. Pacific Wrecks Inc. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  38. ^ "CAC WIRRAWAY". Paul Bennet Airshows. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  39. ^ "Airframe Dossier – Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) CA-3 Wirraway, s/n A20-81 RAAF, c/n 79, c/r VH-WWY". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  40. ^ "Airframe Dossier – Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) CA-3 Wirraway, s/n A20-99 RAAF, c/n 97, c/r VH-JMZ". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  41. ^ "Aircraft Register [VH-JMZ]". Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  42. ^ "CA5 Wirraway Mk II Advanced Trainer A20-103 : Royal Australian Air Force". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  43. ^ Rose, Scott. "WIRRAWAY/A20-511". Warbird Registry. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  44. ^ "Airframe Dossier – North American-Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Wirraway III, s/n A20-649 RAAF, c/n 1101". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  45. ^ Birkett, Gordon (7 October 2013). "RAAF A20 CAC CA-9 & CA-16 Wirraway A20-601 to A20-700". ADF-Serials. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  46. ^ "Aeroplane – CAC CA-16 Wirraway A20-651, 1944". Museums Victoria. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  47. ^ "CAC CA-16 WIRRAWAY Mk III A20-652 / VH-WIR C/N 1104". Queensland Air Museum. Queensland Air Museum Inc. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  48. ^ "CA-16 Wirraway". Temora Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  49. ^ "Aircraft Register [VH-BFF]". Australian Government Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  50. ^ "May 2019 News". Temora Aviation Museum. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  51. ^ Thorn, Adam (9 February 2021). "RAAF reforms legendary 100 Squadron to fly Warbirds". Australian Aviation. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  52. ^ "Rose, Scott, Warbird Registry, Wirraway/A20-656". Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  53. ^ "Sorry, we are currently closed to the public". Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  54. ^ "CAC Wirraway A20-561". RAAF Museum. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  55. ^ "Wirraway CA-5". Aviation Heritage Museum. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  56. ^ "Airframe Dossier – Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) CA-1/3/5/7/8/9/16 Wirraway, s/n A20-688 RAAF, c/n 1140". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  57. ^ "[Homepage]". Caboolture Warplane & Flight Heritage Museum. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  58. ^ "Aircraft Register [VH-MFW]". Australian Government Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  59. ^ "FAA Registry [FAA N-Number]". Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  60. ^ "Aircraft Register [VH-CAC]". Australian Government Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  61. ^ Green 1967, p. 13
  62. ^ CAC (1940)

Bibliography

External links

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