Clutton-Tabenor FRED

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

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

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 with 65 hp (48 kW) Continental A65 engine. First flight December 1982.^[4]

Specifications (FRED Series 2)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1971–72^[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
• Wingspan: 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m)
• Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
• Wing area: 110 sq ft (10 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 4.4:1
• Airfoil: Göttingen 535
• Empty weight: 533 lb (242 kg)
• Gross weight: 773 lb (351 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 7.5 imp gal (9.0 US gal; 34 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × converted 1500 cc Volkswagen engine 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed piston engine, 66 hp (49 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 75 mph (121 km/h, 65 kn)
• Cruise speed: 63 mph (101 km/h, 55 kn)
• Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn) (approx)
• Range: 200 mi (320 km, 170 nmi)