The RagWing RW4 Midwing Sport is a single seat,
strut-braced
In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...
mid wing, single engine
ultralight aircraft
Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with ailer ...
designed by Roger Mann and sold as plans by
RagWing Aircraft Designs for
amateur construction.
[Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-50. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ][Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 233. BAI Communications. ][Downey, Julia: ''1999 Plans Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 16, Number 1, January 1999, page 66. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851]
Design and development
The RW4 was derived from the high-wing
RagWing RW1 Ultra-Piet
The RagWing RW1 Ultra-Piet is a family of single seat, parasol wing, single engine ultralight aircraft designed by Roger Mann and sold as plans by RagWing Aircraft Designs for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's ...
as an
FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles compliant aircraft that would have an empty weight within that category's empty weight limit. The RW4 was designed to be an ultralight replica of the classic 1931 vintage
Church Midwing Sport Monoplane pylon racer
Air racing is a type of motorsport that involves airplanes or other types of aircraft that compete over a fixed course, with the winner either returning the shortest time, the one to complete it with the most points, or to come closest to a pre ...
.
The RW4
airframe
The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system.
Airframe design is a field of aerospa ...
is constructed entirely from wood and covered with
aircraft fabric. The landing gear is of
conventional configuration with
bungee suspension. As on the original Church design the RW4 has a gap between the wing and
fuselage to allow the pilot to see downwards. The aircraft's installed power range is and the standard engine was originally the
Kawasaki 340. The
Half VW four-stroke engine,
Rotax 277 two-stroke and
2si 430 two-stroke have also been used.
Partial kits and construction kits were available in the late 1990s, but today the aircraft is offered only in the form of plans. Reported construction time is 400–600 hours, although the designer claims 350 hours.
Specifications (RW4)
References
External links
*
{{RagWing Aircraft Designs
1990s United States ultralight aircraft