Comper Kite

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use British English|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox aircraft | name = Kite | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Touring aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United Kingdom | manufacturer = Comper Aircraft Company | design_group = | designer = Nicholas Comper | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 1 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = Summer 1934 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Comper Kite''' was a single-engined, two-seat touring monoplane built in the UK, derived from the contemporary Comper Streak racer. Only one was built.

==Design and development== The Kite was created by redesigning the single-seat Comper Streak racing aircraft as a two-seat tourer. The main changes, apart from the installation of the second cockpit by inserting an extra bay into the fuselage were the fitting of a more economical engine and the provision of extra tankage. Those things apart, only a few minor changes distinguished the two aircraft. The Kite, the last aircraft to be completed by the Comper Aircraft Company, was flying in early 1934, only a month after the Streak.<ref name="OH">{{harvnb|Ord-Hume|2000|pp=303–4}}</ref>

The wings almost identical to those of the Streak.<ref name="Flight">[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200462.html ''Flight'' 10 May 1934 p.462-4]</ref> They were built up around a pair of spruce and plywood box section spars, carrying three-ply and spruce ribs and skinned with stressed three-ply sheet. They were gently tapering in plan with rounded tips. There was 5° dihedral outboard, but none on the centre section.<ref name="Flight2">[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200377.html ''Flight'' 19 April 1934 p.378-80-4]</ref> Mass balanced ailerons, narrower than those of the Streak filled more than half of the trailing edge. The mass balances were conspicuously mounted on extended upward arms from near the aileron root.<ref name="OH"/> The tailplane and split elevators were also of spruce and plywood, but fabric covered. The rounded fin and rudder, though fabric covered had a steel tube structure.<ref name="Flight2"/> The elevators and rudder were mass balanced, with external weights like those on the ailerons.<ref name="OH"/> The rudder extended to the bottom of the fuselage, operating in a cut-out between the elevators.<ref name="Flight"/>

The rectangular cross-section fuselage consisted of four spruce Warren girders, fabric covered behind the engine. The pilot's cockpit was at the trailing edge of the wing and behind there was a deep, rounded fabric covered decking.<ref name="Flight2"/> Immediately in front of the pilot's cockpit was an extra fuselage bay containing the passenger's position,<ref name="Flight"/> placed over the centre of gravity so that the trim would not be disturbed by their presence or absence. The fuel tanks of the Kite were in the wing roots, again to minimise changes in trim.<ref name="OH"/> The mounting for the Pobjoy Niagara engine, constructed of square section steel tube, started immediately in front of the passenger compartment.<ref name="Flight"/> The 90 hp (67 kW) 7-cylinder radial engine was a development of the earlier Pobjoy R; two notable features were that it was very compact, with a diameter of only 26 in (660 mm) and that it was geared down with a gearbox that off-set the propeller shaft vertically.<ref name="OHPob">{{harvnb|Ord-Hume|2000|pp=587–9}}</ref> The result was a very neat cowling with Pobjoy's characteristic front ring and trade mark baffle. The exhaust exited from shallow individual cowls and scooped channels. The Pobjoy drove a two-bladed propeller.<ref name="OH"/>

The main wheels, which were provided with brakes, were mounted at the end of the wing centre section, each between pairs of compression legs. Pairs of cross braced struts, joining the legs a little way above the axle and hinged at top and bottom, rotated to retract the wheels rearwards. As on the Streak, the retracted wheels protruded to give some protection in a wheels up landing, but on the Kite there were small fairings ahead of them. At the rear there was a simple, sprung tailskid.<ref name="OH"/><ref name="Flight"/>

The Kite first flew, registered as ''G-ACME'',<ref>[http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=reg&fullregmark=ACME Registration documents for ''G-ACME'']</ref> early in the summer of 1934 and gained its Certificate of Airworthiness on 10 July.<ref name="OH"/> With the front cockpit faired over, it flew in the 1934 King's Cup Race<ref name="OH"/> at an average speed of 144 mph (232 km/h),<ref>{{harvnb|Jackson|1973|p=295}}</ref> but was eliminated in the heats.<ref name="OH"/> The Kite was never tried in the tourer role it was designed for, as Comper Aircraft ceased business in August 1934, taken over by the Heston Aircraft Company who had no interest in it. The Kite was broken up at Heston in 1935.<ref name="OH"/>

==Specifications== {{Aircraft specs |ref={{harvnb|Ord-Hume|2000|pp=304}} |prime units?=imp  |genhide= |crew=2 |capacity= |length m= |length ft=19 |length in=3 |length note= |span m= |span ft=23 |span in=6 |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |mid span m= |mid span ft= |mid span in= |mid span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |swept m= |swept ft= |swept in= |swept note= |dia m= |dia ft= |dia in= |dia note= |width m= |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m= |height ft=7 |height in=0 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=80 |wing area note= |swept area sqm= |swept area sqft= |swept area note= |volume m3= |volume ft3= |volume note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=750 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=1350 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |lift kg= |lift lb= |lift note= |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Pobjoy Niagara |eng1 type=7-cylinder radial |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=90 |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |eng1 note= take-off maximum at 3,500 rpm<ref name="OHPob"/> |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab= |eng1 lbf-ab= |eng2 number= |eng2 name= |eng2 type= |eng2 kw= |eng2 hp= |eng2 kn= |eng2 lbf= |eng2 note= |eng2 kn-ab= |eng2 lbf-ab= |eng3 number= |eng3 name= |eng3 type= |eng3 kw= |eng3 hp= |eng3 kn= |eng3 lbf= |eng3 note= |eng3 kn-ab= |eng3 lbf-ab= |more power= |prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note= |rot number= |rot dia m= |rot dia ft= |rot dia in= |rot area sqm= |rot area sqft= |rot area note=  |perfhide= |max speed kmh= |max speed mph=155 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=140 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles=700 |range nmi= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |disk loading kg/m2= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance=  |armament= |guns= |bombs= |rockets= |missiles= |hardpoints= |hardpoint capacity= |hardpoint rockets= |hardpoint missiles= |hardpoint bombs= |hardpoint other= |avionics= }}

{{Aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists= }}

==Notes==

===Citations=== {{Reflist}}

===Cited sources=== {{Refbegin}} *{{Cite book |title= British Civil Aircraft 1919-72|last=Jackson|first=A.J.| year=1973|volume= 2|publisher=Putnam Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-0-85177-813-6}} *{{Cite book |title= British Light Aeroplanes|last=Ord-Hume|first=Arthur W.J.G.| year=2000|publisher=GMS Enterprises |location=Peterborough |isbn=978-1-870384-76-6}} *{{Cite magazine |title= Comper Streak.|magazine= Flight|issue=19 April 1934 |pages=337–81 |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200337.html }} *{{Cite magazine |title= Comper Kite.|magazine= Flight|issue=10 May 1934 |pages=462–4 |url= http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200462.html }}

{{Comper aircraft}}

Category:1930s British civil aircraft Kite Category:Aircraft first flown in 1934 Category:Low-wing aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft