Operators
Indonesia
- Indonesian Air Force
- Indonesian Army
- Indonesian Civil Aviation Institute (id)
| Belalang | |
|---|---|
| Role | Military trainer |
| National origin | Indonesia |
| Manufacturer | Angkatan Udara Republik Indonesia, Depot Penjelidikan, Pertjobaan dan Pembuatan/LIPNUR |
| Designer | Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo (id) |
| First flight | 17 April 1958 [1] |
| Introduction | 1959 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | Indonesian Air Force Indonesian Army Indonesian Civil Aviation Institute |
| Number built | 9 (estimated) |
| Developed from | Piper J-3 Cub |
The LIPNUR Belalang (Indonesian : Grasshopper) was a military trainer aircraft built in small numbers in Indonesia by LIPNUR in the late 1950s. It was essentially a Piper L-4J Grasshopper converted to give it a low wing. The NU-85 prototype flew for the first time on 17 April 1958 and the first production of NU-90 took place in 1959. [2] The aircraft was operated by Indonesian Air Force. [2] Indonesian Army and Indonesian Civil Aviation Institute at Curug, Tangerang also used this aircraft. [3]
In 1949-1950 period, the Indonesian Air Force (then called AURI) received around 60 Piper L-4J Grasshoppers from Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force as part of the transfer of sovereignty. [4] AURI used them as liaison and primary trainer aircraft. [4] In 1957, AURI decided that the ex-Dutch L-4Js, which was powered by 65 hp Continental O-170, are already ageing and need to be replaced. The L-4Js also has high wing so its aerobatic performance is very limited. [3]
Nurtanio Pringgoadisuryo, the Head of AURI’s Air Engineering Maintenance Depot at Andir airfield in Bandung, decided to modified the ageing L-4Js as it can be developed rapidly and with low technology so that the production cost is cheap. [3] An L-4Js then is modified by converting it into low wing design with "V" lift struts and installed it with an 85 hp Continental C-85 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine with Sensenich two-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. [5] The aircraft maintain its old canopy but due to the new wing structure the canopy is hinged open to the right. [3] The prototype then designated as NU-85 Belalang. The 85 is derived from the 85 hp engine, while the name Belalang (grasshopper) was used as his single-engine design were named after insects. [3]
The NU-85 prototype first flew on 17 April 1958. Another source stated that it was first flown on 26 April 1958, piloted by Nurtanio himself. [3] After numerous testing, it was determined that the NU-85 performs better than the L-4Js in its role as primary trainer. [5] Even though it performs quite good, according to Nurtanio it needs to be refined. [3]
Then in 1959, Nurtanio designed the NU-90. [3] The differences from its predecessor are it was powered by more powerful 90 hp Continental C-90-12F flat-four direct-drive engine. [5] It also has bubble canopy that were split into two sections, the forward section hinged to the right and the rear section slides to the aft. [5] It retains many of the L-4J's features, although modified, such as its USA-35B airfoil but with the flaps removed, the split-axle mainwheels which was moved 10cm forward, and also L-4Js original wing structures. [5] The wings itself was braced with V-struts from the top section of the fuselage longerons and was set 1° 37’ incidence at the root and 5° dihedral. [5] The control surfaces were consisted of aluminum-alloy-frame covered with fiberglass. [5] The fuselage was of welded steel construction covered with fiberglass, while the vertical stabilizer was fabric-covered welded steel. [5]
Three pre-production aircraft were sent to the Indonesian Air Force Academy in Yogyakarta for evaluation. Although the aircraft were still in the evaluation stage, eight cadets managed to solo fly after being trained with the three Belalangs. [3] The three aircraft were then sent back to the LIPNUR facility at Bandung to be reconditioned and overhauled. [3] Those aircraft then were transferred to the Indonesian Aviation Civil Institute in Curug, Tangerang. [3] Satisfied with the aircraft's performance, Indonesian Air Force ordered 50 units of Belalang to replace the L-4J Grasshoppers, but the orders could not be fulfilled as the LIPNUR facility at that time lacked tools to mass-produced them. [3] The Indonesian Army Aviation Command also expressed interest with Belalang. The Indonesian Army Aviation School at Kalibanteng airfield in Semarang received 5 Belalangs to be used as primary trainers. [3]
Indonesia Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66 [1]
General characteristics
Performance
The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is Piper Aircraft's most-produced model, with nearly 20,000 built in the United States. Its simplicity, affordability and popularity invokes comparisons to the Ford Model T automobile.
The Cessna 120,140, and 140A, are single-engine, two-seat, conventional landing gear (tailwheel), light general aviation aircraft that were first produced in 1946, immediately following the end of World War II. Production ended in 1951, and was succeeded in 1959 by the Cessna 150, a similar two-seat trainer which introduced tricycle gear. Combined production of the 120, 140, and 140A was 7,664 units in five years.
The T-211 is a light aircraft designed in the US by John Thorp in 1945. It is a low-wing monoplane of conventional layout with fixed tricycle undercarriage and a sliding canopy. John Thorp developed the Sky Scooter with lessons learned from the developing the Lockheed Little Dipper project in 1944. It bears some family resemblance to the Piper Cherokee, a design that Thorp later contributed to significantly.
The Aeronca L-3 group of observation and liaison aircraft were used by the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. The L-3 series were adapted from Aeronca's pre-war Tandem Trainer and Chief models.
PZL-104 Wilga is a Polish short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) civil aviation utility aircraft designed and originally manufactured by PZL Warszawa-Okęcie, and later by European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), who had acquired the original manufacturer during 2001.
Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) or official Indonesian name PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Persero) is an Indonesian aerospace company involved in aircraft design and the development and manufacture of civilian and military regional commuter aircraft. The company was formerly known as Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara. It was expanded from a research and industrial facility under the auspices of the Indonesian Air Force, namely Lembaga Industri Penerbangan Nurtanio (LIPNUR) or Nurtanio Aviation Industry Institute.
The Piper PA-11 Cub Special is a later-production variant of the J-3 Cub manufactured by Piper Aircraft.
The Stinson L-5 Sentinel was a World War II era liaison aircraft used by all branches of the U.S. military and by the British Royal Air Force. It was produced by the Stinson Aircraft Company. Along with the Stinson L-1 Vigilant, the L-5 was the only other American liaison aircraft of World War II that was purpose-built for military use and had no civilian counterpart. All other military liaison airplanes adopted during World War II were lightly modified "off-the-shelf" civilian models.
The Interstate Cadet was an American two-seat tandem, high wing, single-engine monoplane light aircraft. Around 320 of these aircraft were produced between the years 1941 and 1942 by the Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corporation based in El Segundo, California. The construction techniques employed were a welded steel tube fuselage, wood (spruce) wing structure with metal ribs, and fabric covering, all of which were fairly standard in the 1940s.
The Aeronca L-16 was a United States Army liaison aircraft built by Aeronca. It saw extensive service during the Korean War. It was essentially a militarized version of the Aeronca Champion. From 1955 large numbers were transferred to the Civil Air Patrol.
The LIPNUR Sikumbang was a low-wing monoplane of mixed construction built in Indonesia in 1954 as a COIN and anti-guerrilla-warfare aircraft. Of conventional configuration, it had fixed tricycle undercarriage and seated the pilot under a bubble canopy. A single example was built under the designation NU-200 in 1954, and another as the NU-225 in 1957. The latter machine was grounded in 1967.
The LIPNUR Kunang was a single-seat sports aircraft built in Indonesia that first flew in 1958 in the hope that it would inspire interest in aviation amongst Indonesian youth. The only example that was built was subsequently grounded. It was a single-seat monoplane of conventional layout with fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
LIPNUR developed and manufactured the Super Kunang - also known as the Super Kunang 35 - in the 1960s. Powered by a Volkswagen air-cooled engine and seating only one person, it was used as a light sports plane.
The Piper PA-6 Sky Sedan was a 1940s American four-seat light aircraft designed and built in prototype form by Piper Aircraft at its Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, factory.
The Pazmany PL-1 Laminar and Pazmany PL-2 are American two-seat trainer and personal light aircraft designed by Ladislao Pazmany to be marketed as a homebuilt aircraft by his company Pazmany Aircraft Corporation. The aircraft was built under license in Taiwan as the AIDC PL-1B Cheinshou. It was later followed by an improved version the PL-2. The SLAF Aircraft Engineering Wing developed a modified variant of the PL-2 in 1977, which never saw combat but was used in air shows.
The Piel CP-30 Emeraude is an aircraft designed in France in the mid-1950s and widely built both by factories and homebuilders.
The Stits SA-3A Playboy is a single seat, strut-braced low-wing monoplane that was designed by Ray Stits for amateur construction. The aircraft was designed and the prototype was completed in a three-month period during 1952. The design went on to become one of the most influential in the post-war boom in aircraft homebuilding.
The Dudek V-1 Sportplane is a low wing, conventional landing gear, homebuilt aircraft developed from the Piper J-2 Cub.
The Aeronca K series, Aeronca Chief, Aeronca Super Chief, Aeronca Tandem, Aeronca Scout, Aeronca Sea Scout, Aeronca Champion and Aeronca Defender were a family of American high-winged light touring aircraft, designed and built starting in the late 1930s by Aeronca Aircraft.