The Wittman DFA aka Little Bonzo is a

homebuilt Homebuilt machines are machines built outside of specialised workshops or factories. This can include different things such as kit cars or homebuilt computers, but normally it pertains to homebuilt aircraft, also known as amateur-built aircraft or ...

racing In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...

aircraft designed to compete in midget racing. Wittman DFA Little Bonzo

Development

Steve Wittman had started air racing in 1926 using various aircraft. In March 1931, he designed his own purpose-built aircraft in

Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh. History Oshkosh was ...

, the

Wittman Chief Oshkosh Chief Oshkosh Buster is a homebuilt racing plane designed to compete in the 1931 American Cirrus Races. Development Steve Wittman started air racing in 1926 in various aircraft. In March 1931, he designed his own purpose built aircraft in Osh ...

. After World War II, a new class of Midget air racing was formed with Wittmans efforts. Wittman re-engined "Chief Oshkosh" and renamed it "Bonzo". After several successful races in Cleveland in 1948, a cleaner sister ship "Little Bonzo" was built. The name is a reference to Wittman's much larger racer, the

Wittman D-12 Bonzo The Wittman D-12 "Bonzo" was an air racer designed by Steve Wittman for the Thompson Trophy races. The aircraft's top speed of made it faster than any United States military aircraft of the era. Development Wittman purchased a Curtiss D-12 engin ...

Design

The Wittman DFA is a

mid-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

ed conventional geared aircraft built from a welded steel tube fuselage with

aircraft fabric covering Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as ar ...

and wooden wing construction. The DFA differs slightly from Bonzo with a smaller tail surface, a longer tail and a larger canopy. In 1968, the engine was replaced with a

Continental O-200 The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...

to compete under new race rules.

Operational history

Steve Wittman and Bill Brennand alternated flying "Buster" and "Little Bonzo". The aircraft was never transported by trailer and was instead always flown to events, where Wittman would perform aerobatics between heats in his racing aircraft. *1948 National Air Races - Cleveland pilot Wittman placed second. *1949 Continental Trophy races - first place *1950 Rebat Trophy - first place *1951 Rebat Trophy - first place *1952 Continental Trophy races - first place *1964 Reno Formula One Championship - second place *1973 Goodyear race - the last competitive race for Little Bonzo. *1994 Wittman flew the newly restored aircraft before it was donated to the EAA museum.

Variants

*The 1934

Wittman Buster Chief Oshkosh Buster is a homebuilt racing plane designed to compete in the 1931 American Cirrus Races. Development Steve Wittman started air racing in 1926 in various aircraft. In March 1931, he designed his own purpose built aircraft in Os ...

rebuilt from "Chief Oshkosh" was the basis for Little Bonzo.

Aircraft on display

The Wittman DFA is on display at the EAA Airventure Museum in

Specifications (Wittman DFA "Little Bonzo")

References

External links

Interview with Steve Wittman
{{Wittman aircraft Racing aircraft DFA Mid-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1948 United States sport aircraft