Fournier RF 4
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The Fournier RF 4 is a single-seater
motor glider A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: a fixed-wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (MoP), capable of sustained soaring flight ...
designed by René Fournier in 1966. It is an
aerobatic Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glid ...
version of the Fournier RF 3.pilotfriend.com: Fournier aircraft history, performance and specifications
- accessed 13 March 2008Sailplane Directory: Fournier RF 5
- accessed 13 March 2008


Design and development

Conceived as a motor glider and sport touring aircraft, the RF 4 was introduced in 1966. It is of all-wood construction and is fully
aerobatic Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glid ...
. The
landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
consists of a
monowheel gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
which retracts forward into a
fibreglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...
cowling. The main wheel has a brake which is manually operated. There is a small steerable tailwheel and wing-mounted outrigger wheels.Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', page 73. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977.


Operational history

An RF 4D was flown by
Mira Slovak Mira (), designation Omicron Ceti (ο Ceti, abbreviated Omicron Cet, ο Cet), is a red-giant star estimated to be 200–400 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. ο Ceti is a binary stellar system, consisting of a varia ...
across the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
while participating in the May 1969
Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper and news websitePeter Wilb"Paul Dacre of the Daily Mail: The man who hates liberal Britain", ''New Statesman'', 19 December 2013 (online version: 2 January 2014) publish ...
Air Race. The flight won a £1,000 prize offered by the
London Evening News The ''London Evening News'' was a newspaper whose first issue was published on 14 August 1855. Usually, when people mention the ''London Evening News'', they are actually referring to '' The Evening News'', published in London from 1881 to 1980, ...
for the best performance in the race by an aircraft under gross take-off weight. The main landing gear fork is an ongoing maintenance issue, with regular replacements needed.


Variants

;RF 4 :Prototype aerobatic variant of the RF 3, three-built by Alpavia ;RF 4D :Production variant, 155 built in Germany by Sportavia-Putzer, D was for Deutschland. 16 shipped to America


Specifications (RF 4D)


See also

*
Fournier RF 5 The Fournier RF 5 is a two-seat motor glider designed by René Fournier. Design and development The RF 5 is based on the single seater Fournier RF 4, and is a low-winged monoplane of all-wooden construction, with the crew of two sat in a tandem ...


References

* Harrison, Neil
"In the Air:Number 230:Fournier RF 4D"
''
Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...
'', 2 May 1968. pp. 669–670. {{Sportavia-Pützer aircraft 1960s French sailplanes 1960s German sailplanes Fournier aircraft Sportavia-Pützer aircraft Motor gliders Aerobatic aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1966