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WICKS-Supercat
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Captain Bill & Miss Frances
Nov 22, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/22/99
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Anyone know anything about a plans or parts built high wing from Wicks
called a Supercat. Any good?
Regards
Bill
called a Supercat. Any good?
Regards
Bill
Tom Cummings
Nov 22, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/22/99
to
The Supercat is a lowwing. Like a Piper Pawnee. I have one Supercat and one
Bobcat. The Bobcat was the ultralight version no longer manufactured now.
The Supercat is an improved beefed up version of the Bobcat. Mine were
purchased from two builders where I live. My Supercat flew with a Rotax 277
by the original builder. He then sold it and several other owners flew it
with different kinds of Rotaxes up to a 65 horsepower size. It was found to
be pitch sensitive with the 277 but a light hand on the stick overcame
that. It might have been tailheavy according to the original builder. I
attempted to fly it with a Half Vw. Not enough power as it would rise off
the runway, slowfly down a ways, and settle back down for a landing. Not
enough power to climb on out or make a confident turn. I tried three more
runs, and landed it myself before running out of runway. It was smooth,
didn't want to be irratic, was not hard to control during those short hops.
But it did fly. It weighed 383 pounds with the half Vw. The half Vw had a
stock stroke crank and cam, and 92mm cylinders. The prop was too large and
I weighed 200 pounds. Ninty plus degrees in July. Not much going for the
airplane. It is well made. It would fly with a Rotax 277 or 477 easily.
Half Vws need very light airframes. Presently, I am building a 1200cc four
cylinder Vw which should handle the large prop and weight. If that doesn't
work, I will swipe the Rotax 477 off of my T-Bird if I have to! The half Vw
is being rebuilt to have on hand for a lighter airplane - someday.
My Bobcat was never finished - it is for spare parts. It might fly with a
stock size parts in a half Vw - Might.
Supercat is a very solid built aircraft. The builder added plywood sides to
the full length of the fuselage. Made it real strong (and heavy!). Mine has
an undercambered wing. Foam is used for ribs. Shaped plywood forms a D
style leading edge. The fuselage is built like a model airplane with half
shaped bulkheads built up in a crutch fashion, stringers added to the
bulkheads top and bottom, then wood or fabric covered. Landing gear is
welded tube. Fuselage is wider than most planes this size.
Plans are available from Bowdler Aviation, but I can't find their address
right now. Parts availibilty are confined to those on Wick's list. Cowls,
fuel tank, pants, cockpit top cover no longer available. Will have to be
fabricated at home. Those parts were available from the original
manufactuere named First Strike ( no longer producing the kits or parts).
There was a Newsletter once called "Cat Scratches" which promoted this
plane but it has stopped being printed. I never could find a "Cat" website.
The Supercat won a Grand Champion Light Plane Award at Oshkosh back in the
80s. Other planes became more popular since then and it just hasn't been
promoted very well. It doesn't take long to build it. One has to like to
work with wood. The hardware brackets and fittings would probably take the
longest to make. They are made from the metal material list on Wick's list.
It is a good plane.
Tom
Bobcat. The Bobcat was the ultralight version no longer manufactured now.
The Supercat is an improved beefed up version of the Bobcat. Mine were
purchased from two builders where I live. My Supercat flew with a Rotax 277
by the original builder. He then sold it and several other owners flew it
with different kinds of Rotaxes up to a 65 horsepower size. It was found to
be pitch sensitive with the 277 but a light hand on the stick overcame
that. It might have been tailheavy according to the original builder. I
attempted to fly it with a Half Vw. Not enough power as it would rise off
the runway, slowfly down a ways, and settle back down for a landing. Not
enough power to climb on out or make a confident turn. I tried three more
runs, and landed it myself before running out of runway. It was smooth,
didn't want to be irratic, was not hard to control during those short hops.
But it did fly. It weighed 383 pounds with the half Vw. The half Vw had a
stock stroke crank and cam, and 92mm cylinders. The prop was too large and
I weighed 200 pounds. Ninty plus degrees in July. Not much going for the
airplane. It is well made. It would fly with a Rotax 277 or 477 easily.
Half Vws need very light airframes. Presently, I am building a 1200cc four
cylinder Vw which should handle the large prop and weight. If that doesn't
work, I will swipe the Rotax 477 off of my T-Bird if I have to! The half Vw
is being rebuilt to have on hand for a lighter airplane - someday.
My Bobcat was never finished - it is for spare parts. It might fly with a
stock size parts in a half Vw - Might.
Supercat is a very solid built aircraft. The builder added plywood sides to
the full length of the fuselage. Made it real strong (and heavy!). Mine has
an undercambered wing. Foam is used for ribs. Shaped plywood forms a D
style leading edge. The fuselage is built like a model airplane with half
shaped bulkheads built up in a crutch fashion, stringers added to the
bulkheads top and bottom, then wood or fabric covered. Landing gear is
welded tube. Fuselage is wider than most planes this size.
Plans are available from Bowdler Aviation, but I can't find their address
right now. Parts availibilty are confined to those on Wick's list. Cowls,
fuel tank, pants, cockpit top cover no longer available. Will have to be
fabricated at home. Those parts were available from the original
manufactuere named First Strike ( no longer producing the kits or parts).
There was a Newsletter once called "Cat Scratches" which promoted this
plane but it has stopped being printed. I never could find a "Cat" website.
The Supercat won a Grand Champion Light Plane Award at Oshkosh back in the
80s. Other planes became more popular since then and it just hasn't been
promoted very well. It doesn't take long to build it. One has to like to
work with wood. The hardware brackets and fittings would probably take the
longest to make. They are made from the metal material list on Wick's list.
It is a good plane.
Tom
Captain Bill & Miss Frances <moon...@sympatico.ca> wrote in article
<3838A86D...@sympatico.ca>...
Willard561
Nov 22, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/22/99
to
>Subject: Re: WICKS-Supercat
>From: "Tom Cummings" to...@gs.verio.net
>Date: Mon, 22 November 1999 02:44 AM EST
>Message-id: <01bf34be$964fb560$224201cc@gateway-solo>
>Her is the info on the Super Cat
Supercat plans
Contact:
Bruce Bowdler
PO Box 132
Monroe, Michigan 48161-0132
the email is: bobcat...@foxberry.com.
Bill Higdon
Willa...@aol.com
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