Alpha J-5 Marco

Last updated
J-5 Marco
Role homebuilt motor glider
National origin Poland
ManufacturerAlpha, Kraków
DesignerJaroslaw Janowski
First flight30 October 1983
Number builtAbout 36 [1]

The Alpha J-5 Marco is a single-seat airplane in pod-and-boom pusher configuration. Kits were built in Poland and the aircraft has been exported to several countries including Germany and the USA.

Contents

Design and development

The Alpha J-5 Marco, sometimes known as the Janowski J-5 Marco after its designer, whose fifth aircraft it was, sometimes just as the J-5 Marco, is a single-seat pod-and-boom aircraft, with a pusher engine and a butterfly tail. Janowski's earlier J-1, J-2 and J-3 designs were also pod-and-boom pushers, though with different tails. [2] Designed to be homebuilt from a kit, the J-5's structure is almost entirely of glassfibre and epoxy. The wings are set at the top of the boom as it merges into the pod containing the engine and cockpit. They have an aspect ratio of about 10 and constant chord, with flaperons, formed with glassfibre and duralumin, along the whole of the trailing edge. The upper surfaces contain short spoilers at mid chord. [3] [4] [5]

The pusher engine, usually a 25 hp (18.6 kW) KFM 107ER two-cylinder horizontally-opposed two-stroke, is mounted on the upper rear of the pod. [4] Some aircraft have been powered by a 45 hp (31 kW) Rotax 447UL two-cylinder inline two-stroke [6] or a Hirth F23 boxer motor. [3] Just forward is the long, curved canopy over the cockpit, which reaches almost to the nose. The Marco J-5 has side-stick control and instruments mounted above one another on a central vertical panel. Aft of the pod the boom is slender and carries a large butterfly tail with full span control surfaces. [4] [5]

Two undercarriage layouts are available, both using a trailing tailwheel. For optimum performance the Marco J-5 can be built with a glider-type retractable monowheel, using stabilizing wheels mounted in downturned trapezoidal wingtip extensions. Instead, a pair of fixed faired cantilever-mounted wheels sprung out from the fuselage pod can be used. [4] [5]

The J-5 Marco first flew on 30 October 1983. [4] The most likely last J-5 to be built is currently under construction in Germany. [3]

Operational history

The kits for the J-5 Marco were originally produced at the Marko-Elektronic Factory in Łódź, Poland, where an aircraft branch was established for the purpose. By about 1990 this division was known as Alpha and relocated to Kraków. In the same year Aviation Farm Ltd in Poland bought a licence to produce assembled aircraft. [7] Distribution agencies were established in Germany (Hewa-Technics, who produced both kits and complete aircraft) [7] and in the USA (Alpha/USA). [5]

Six J-5 Marcos were registered in the US, [5] one in the UK [8] and eight in the rest of Europe (west of Russia). [9] [10] By 1996, Aviation Farm had delivered 20 complete aircraft and had another 29 on order. [7]

Alain Flottard's French registered J-5 F-WZUE set several FAI class C-1a/0 records in 1990-1, most of which still stand. [11]

Variants

Aviation Farm marketed or planned two variants [7] in addition to the mono- and conventional undercarriage versions noted above:

J-5 BAL
Carrying a thermal imaging camera for military use.
J-5 bis
48.5 kW (65 hp) Walter M202 two-stroke engine.
BAE HERTI-D
A J-5 Marco was used by BAE Systems as the basis of this early UAV or drone. It was a standard monowheel J-5 with a small turbojet engine replacing the flat two-stroke. The canopy was replaced with a moulding of similar shape but with an engine air intake in its upper part. Later BAE UAVs were based on the larger J-6 Fregata. [5]

Specifications

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1991/2 [4]

General characteristics

Performance


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaparma Baldo</span> Type of aircraft

The Alaparma Baldo was an unusual two-seat light monoplane produced in Italy shortly after World War II. Designed by Adriano Mantelli, it featured an egg-shaped fuselage with cabin doors that hinged upwards and to the back. The conventional tailplane with single fin and rudder was carried on twin booms, either side of a pusher engine installation. The undercarriage consisted of a single mainwheel under the fuselage pod, a small tailwheel not far behind it, and outrigger wheels on the wingtips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beagle Husky</span> Type of aircraft

The Beagle Husky was a three-seat British light aircraft built in the 1960s which originated from a Portuguese Air Force requirement for a liaison/training aircraft, a development of the Auster Alpha. It first flew as an Auster design in January 1960, but that company was taken over by Beagle Aircraft in September that year. It was initially available with a 160 hp Lycoming O-320 engine as the Auster D5/160.

The Partenavia P.86 Mosquito was a two-seat civil trainer aircraft first flown in Italy on 27 April 1986. It was a high-wing monoplane of pod-and-boom construction with tricycle undercarriage and a twin tail, that accommodated the student and instructor side-by-side.

The Janowski J1 Prząśniczka ("Distaff"), later named the Don Kichot was an ultralight aircraft designed in Poland and marketed for homebuilding in the 1970s. Designed by Jarosław Janowski in 1967 and built with the help of some friends, it flew three years later. It had an unusual design, with a high, strut-braced wing and a pusher propeller mounted behind it. The pilot had a fully enclosed cabin, and the undercarriage was of fixed, tailwheel type. Original prototype was flown with Saturn engine design by Mr Janowski. This engine was made out of two motorcycle engines (MZ250). J1 was also flown with Trabant engine (29HP) and VW conversion (48BPH) made by Christine Aero Engines in Donlands - California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadler Vampire</span> American ultralight aircraft

The Sadler SV-1 Vampire is a single-seat ultralight sport aircraft developed in the United States in the early 1980s. It is uncharacteristic of ultralight designs in both its layout and its construction. The Vampire is a mid-wing cantilever monoplane of pod-and-boom configuration and twin booms joined by a common horizontal stabilizer. The wings fold for storage and transport, and the undercarriage is of fixed tricycle type. The single engine and pusher propeller are mounted at the rear of the pod that also includes the open cockpit. Construction throughout is of metal.

The Alpaero Exel is a French single seat, single engine pusher pod-and-boom kit-built ultralight motor glider. About 10 had been produced by 2005.

The Nike PUL 9 is an Argentine experimental tailless aircraft powered by a Rotax 447 engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magni M-16 Tandem Trainer</span> Italian autogyro

The Magni M-16 Tandem Trainer is an Italian sport autogyro, seating two in tandem, designed and produced by Magni Gyro srl of Besnate. It and the M-22 Voyager, a touring variant with baggage space and increased endurance, remain in production in 2010 with over 150 sold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeroprakt A-20 Vista</span> Type of aircraft

The Aeroprakt A-20 Vista is a family of Ukrainian tandem two-seat high-wing, strut-braced, pusher configuration conventional landing gear, ultralight aircraft, produced by Aeroprakt. The A-20 was introduced into the North American market at AirVenture 1999.

The Dedalus Poppy is a homebuilt, single engine, single seat ultralight aircraft flown in Italy in the 1980s. Several were built and flown; at least one remains on the Italian civil register in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grinvalds Orion</span> Type of aircraft

The Grinvalds Orion is one of the earliest (1981) composite kit- and homebuilt aircraft. A 2/4 seater with a single pusher engine, it was built in France and the United States in small numbers with several variations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AAI Sparrowhawk</span> Type of aircraft

The AAI SparrowHawk is an American two-seat pusher ultralight autogyro, available in kit form for amateur construction.

The TeST TST-1 Alpin is a Czech shoulder-wing, single-seat, pusher configuration motor glider that was designed and produced by TeST.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ameur Altania</span> Type of aircraft

The Ameur Altania was a single-engine light aircraft of pusher configuration with side-by-side seats for two and a V-tail, designed in France in the 1990s. Several prototypes were built and flown, including a 15 m span motorglider version; the final prototype was constructed from carbon composites rather than glass fibre. Another version, the UCA Carbon Bird has been built by Universal Composite Aviation after the bankruptcy of Ameur Aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Partenair Mystere</span> Canadian homebuilt light aircraft

The Partenair Mystere is a Canadian two-seat, pusher configuration monoplane that was designed by Partenair Design of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and intended for amateur construction from kits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviatika-MAI-890</span> Type of aircraft

The Aviatika-MAI-890 is a pod-and-boom, pusher configuration biplane ultralight designed and built by the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) in Russia in the 1980s. As well as being a sport and training aircraft, significant numbers have been used for agricultural spraying. It remained in production in 2015.

The Latécoère 225 was an unusual single seat canard microlight amphibian, with a swept wing, and of pusher configuration. It first flew in 1984 but was not put into production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ion Aircraft Ion</span> Prototype 2007 general aviation aircraft by Ion Aircraft

The Ion Aircraft Ion is a two-seat, twin boom, pusher configuration light aircraft based on the DreamWings Valkyrie. It was still in development in 2010 but is intended either for homebuilding from kits or flyaway production, with versions meeting US and European rules.

The Aérostructure Lutin 80, earlier known as the PLM 80, is a small, single seat motor glider with a low power pusher configuration engine, designed and built in France in the 1980s. Only two were completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wüst Seahawk</span> German homebuilt aircraft

The Wüst Seahawk is a German amateur-built flying boat under development by Wüst GmbH. The aircraft is intended to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

References

  1. ↑ Simpson, Longley & Swan 2022, pp. 171–172.
  2. ↑ "Janowski aircraft" . Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  3. 1 2 3 Dr. Marko Rocznik. "J-5 Builder page" . Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lambert, Mark (1991). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1991-2 . Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p.  525. ISBN   0-7106-0965-5.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "J-5 information" . Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  6. ↑ Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing Ltd. p. 349. ISBN   1-84037-115-3.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Jackson, Paul (2000). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2000-1. Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p. 322. ISBN   0-7106-2011-X.
  8. ↑ "G-BSBO" . Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  9. ↑ Partington, Dave (2010). European registers handbook 2010. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN   978-0-85130-425-0.
  10. ↑ "SP-YAC" . Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  11. ↑ "FAI records". Archived from the original on 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2010-11-01.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.