CAC Winjeel - Bilder og video

Den CAC CA-25 Winjeel is an Australian-designed and manufactured three-seat training aircraft. Entering service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1955 as a basic to advanced trainer, it served in this role until 1975. Later, it was used in the Forward Air Control (FAC) role for target marking until 1994, after which it was retired from RAAF service.

Kilde: CAC Winjeel på Wikipedia

Den CAC Winjeel is a single-engine, two-seat, fixed-wing aircraft that was designed and manufactured by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in Australia. It was developed as a basic trainer for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and entered service in 1955. The Winjeel replaced the older Tiger Moth and Wirraway trainers and served until 1975, when it was replaced by the Pilatus PC-9. The Winjeel was also used for forward air control (FAC) and liaison roles until 1994.
Den Winjeel has a low-wing monoplane design with a conventional tail unit and a retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine that drives a three-bladed propeller. The cockpit has tandem seats for the instructor and the student, both equipped with dual controls and ejection seats. The Winjeel has a maximum speed of 260 km/h (160 mph) and a range of 1,100 km (680 mi). It can carry up to four 11.3 kg (25 lb) practice bombs or two 7.62 mm (0.3 in) machine guns for FAC missions.
Winjeel ble oppkalt etter et aboriginsk ord som betyr "ung ørn". Totalt 62 Winjeels ble bygget av CAC og levert til RAAF mellom 1955 og 1958. Winjeel viste seg å være en pålitelig og lett å fly trener, men det ble også kritisert for å være for stabil og tilgivende for aerobatic trening. Winjeel var involvert i flere ulykker og hendelser under tjenesten, noe som resulterte i fire dødsfall og 15 flytap. Winjeel ble pensjonert fra RAAF i 1994, og noen av dem ble solgt til private eiere eller museer. Winjeel flys fortsatt i dag av entusiaster og samlere i Australia.