FRED
Being prepared for flight at Andrewsfield Airport, Essex, 1989
Role Homebuilt monoplane
Manufacturer Clutton-Tabenor
Designer Eric Clutton
First flight 1963
Number built about 30-40

The Clutton-Tabenor FRED is a British homebuilt aircraft design introduced in 1963.[1][2][3]

Design and development

The prototype FRED (Flying Runabout Experimental Design) was designed and built by E.C. Clutton and E.W. Sherry between 1957 and 1963. The aircraft, registered G-ASZY, first flew at Meir aerodrome, Stoke-on-Trent on 3 November 1963. It was a single-seat wood and fabric parasol monoplane powered originally by a Triumph 5T motorcycle engine. By 1968 it was flying with a converted Volkswagen engine. The Continental A-65 65 hp (48 kW) four stroke powerplant has also been used. The plans were made available to allow the aircraft to be homebuilt and thirty to forty examples have been built around the world.[1][2][3]

Variants

FRED Series 1
Prototype, one built.
FRED Series 2
Homebuilt version sold in the form of plans.
FRED Series 3
Improved homebuilt version.

Specifications (FRED Series 2)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
  • Wingspan: 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m)
  • Empty weight: 533 lb (242 kg)
  • Gross weight: 773 lb (351 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × converted Volkswagen engine 4-cyl air-cooled horizontally opposed piston engine, 66 hp (49 kW)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 55 kn (63 mph, 101 km/h)

References

  1. 1 2 Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.
  2. 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 98. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. 1 2 Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 104. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
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