Smyth Sidewinder

The Smyth Model S Sidewinder is an all-metal, two-seat side-by-side, low-wing homebuilt aircraft, designed and developed in the United States.^[2][3]

Sidewinder
1976-built Sidewinder preserved at the Florida Air Museum at Lakeland Airport
Role	Homebuilt aircraft
National origin	United States
Designer	Jerry Smyth
First flight	21 February 1969[1]

Design and development

In 1958 Jerry Smyth began the design of a monoplane sport aircraft, intended to be easy to build and fly as well as stressed to +9g for aerobatics. Construction of the prototype began in January 1967, taking two years to complete. Smyth's first component-built was a hand-carved wooden control stick grip which he said "he built the plane around".^[4] Plans and kits for homebuilding were made available.^[1]

Constructed of welded steel tubing with aluminum skinning, the Sidewinder has all-aluminum wings and is stressed to ±9g ultimate loading to allow aerobatics. Engines can be fitted with power ratings from 90 to 180 hp (67 to 134 kW) (some say 65-125 hp),^[3] weighing up to 310 lb (141 kg), enclosed in a fibreglass cowling. A sliding canopy covers the cockpit, the landing gear uses some landing gear components from the Wittman Tailwind and conventional controls are fitted but with an all-flying tailplane for pitch control. An unusual under-fuselage spoiler is used for approach control.,^[5] The original design shared the same windscreen as a Thorp T-18.^[6]

The prototype attended the 1969 Experimental Aircraft Association convention at Rockford, Illinois, winning the Outstanding Design Award.

Currently the rights to the Smyth Sidewinder are held by EU-Wish, which continues to market the design.^[7] 290 sets of plans had been sold by 1972, with at least 46 examples registered and flying.^[8]

Specifications

Data from Jane's.^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 19 ft 4 in (5.89 m)
• Wingspan: 24 ft 10 in (7.57 m)
• Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
• Wing area: 96 sq ft (8.9 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 6.44
• Airfoil: NACA 64-212 - NACA 64-210
• Empty weight: 1,012 lb (459 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,450 lb (658 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 17.5 US gal (66 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-290 horizontally opposed piston aircraft engine, 125 hp (93 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch aluminium alloy, 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 152 kn (175 mph, 282 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 140 kn (160 mph, 260 km/h) 75% power at 2,000 ft (610 m)
• Stall speed: 48 kn (55 mph, 89 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 170 kn (200 mph, 320 km/h)
• Range: 369 nmi (425 mi, 684 km)
• Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
• g limits: ±9
• Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s) sea level at 24°C

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Thorp T-18