# NDN Firecracker

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{{Short description|1970s British military trainer aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name           = NDN-1 Firecracker 
|image          = Norman NDN-1 Firecracker.jpg
|caption        = NDN Firefracker demonstrator at the 1980 [Farnborough Airshow](/source/Farnborough_Airshow)
|type           = Trainer
|national_origin = [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom)
|manufacturer   = NDN Aircraft
|designer       = <!--Only appropriate for single designers, not project leaders-->
|first_flight   = 26 May 1977
|introduction   = <!--Date the aircraft entered or will enter military or revenue service-->
|retired        = <!--Date the aircraft left service. If vague or more than a few dates, skip this -->
|status         = <!--In most cases, redundant; use sparingly-->
|primary_user   = <!-- List only one user; for military aircraft, this is a nation or a service arm. Please DON'T add those tiny flags, as they limit horizontal space. -->
|more_users     = <!-- Limited to THREE (3) 'more users' here (4 total users).  Separate users with <br/>. -->
|produced       = <!--Years in production (e.g. 1970-1999) if still in active use but no longer built -->
|number_built   = 4
|program cost   = <!--Total program cost-->
|unit cost      = <!--Incremental or flyaway cost for military or retail price for commercial aircraft-->
|developed_from = <!--The aircraft which formed the basis for this aircraft-->
|variants = <!--Variants OF this aircraft-->
}}
The '''NDN Firecracker''' is a single-engine aircraft designed as a military [trainer](/source/Trainer_(aircraft)).

==Design and development==

In 1976, Nigel [Desmond Norman](/source/Desmond_Norman), one of the founders of [Britten-Norman](/source/Britten-Norman), the manufacturers of the [Islander](/source/Britten-Norman_Islander), set up NDN Aircraft to build the Firecracker, a single piston-engined trainer designed to replicate the handling of a jet trainer.<ref name="Firecrackerp275 8">''Flight International'' 23 July 1977, pp. 275, 278.</ref> It was intended that the Firecracker would have a simple structure to allow it to be built under license by third-world countries to help start up local aviation industries.<ref name="Field p831">Field 1979, p.831.</ref> The first prototype, powered by a [Lycoming O-540](/source/Lycoming_O-540) piston engine, flew on 26 May 1977.<ref name="Donald p673">Donald 1997, p.673.</ref>

The aircraft configuration is a [tandem](/source/tandem) two-seat aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear. It has a low [aspect ratio](/source/Aspect_ratio_(wing)) wing in order to give fighter-like handling and is fitted with an airbrake.<ref name="Field p831"/>

After producing a single piston-engined prototype, NDN developed the aircraft by fitting a [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6](/source/Pratt_%26_Whitney_Canada_PT6) [turboprop](/source/turboprop) engine, producing the '''NDN-1T Turbo-Firecracker'''. Three NDN-1Ts were built for a British commercial flying school, Specialist Flying Training, which used them for contract training of foreign military students,<ref name="Barnett p902">Barnett 1984, p.902.</ref> the first one flying on 1 September 1983.<ref name="Parker p738">Parker 1983, p.738.</ref> The Firecracker was entered into the competition to replace the [BAC Jet Provost](/source/BAC_Jet_Provost)s used by Britain's [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) as a basic trainer, it being proposed to fit the aircraft for the RAF with a more powerful engine and ejection seats. Although the Firecracker, which was planned to be built by [Hunting Group](/source/Hunting_Group) if successful, was one of the four shortlisting aircraft, (the others being the [Pilatus PC-9](/source/Pilatus_PC-9), [Embraer Tucano](/source/Embraer_EMB_312_Tucano) and [AAC A20 Wamira](/source/AAC_A20_Wamira)),<ref name="Turboprops">''Flight International'' 24 March 1984, p.741</ref> ultimately a much modified version of the Tucano, the [Shorts Tucano](/source/Shorts_Tucano) was chosen.<ref name="Shorts">''Flight International''  30 March 1985, pp. 8-9.</ref>

Although NDN, which renamed itself the Norman Aircraft Company (NAC) in 1985, continued to try to sell the Firecracker, no further production ensued, and NAC went into receivership in 1988.<ref name="Receiver">''Flight International'' 6 August 1988, p.11.</ref>

==Specifications (Turbo Firecracker)==

{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-1989 <ref name="Janes 88 p298-299">Taylor 1988, p.298-299.</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=2
|length m=8.33
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=7.92
|span in=
|span note=
|height ft=
|height m=3.25
|height note=
|wing area sqm=11.89
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=5.28:1
|airfoil=[NACA 23012](/source/NACA_airfoil)
|empty weight kg=1117
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=1633
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|405|L|impgal USgal|abbr=on}} internal fuel
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A](/source/Pratt_%26_Whitney_Canada_PT6A)-25
|eng1 type=[turboprop](/source/turboprop) engine
|eng1 shp=715
|eng1 note=equivalent

|prop blade number=3
|prop name=[Hartzell](/source/Hartzell_Propeller) HC-B3TN-3/T10173K-1 [constant speed propeller](/source/constant_speed_propeller)
|prop dia m=2.13<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kmh=367
|max speed note=at {{convert|15000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}
|cruise speed kmh=333
|cruise speed note=at {{convert|20000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}} (econ. cruise)
|never exceed speed kmh=533
|never exceed speed note=([EAS](/source/Equivalent_airspeed))
|stall speed kmh=111
|stall speed note= (EAS)
|range km=1158
|range note=with maximum standard fuel
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=2038
|ferry range note= with external fuel
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=8260
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+6/-3<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|glide ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|climb rate ftmin=2060
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=

|more performance=
*'''Take-off run to 15 m (50 ft):''' {{convert|500|m|ft|abbr=on}}
*'''Landing distance from 15 m (50 ft):''' {{convert|677|m|ft|abbr=on}}
<!--
        Armament
-->
|hardpoints= 4
|hardpoint capacity= {{convert|181|kg|lb|-1|abbr=on}} each

|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
<!-- other related articles that have not already linked: -->
|see also=

<!-- designs which were developed into or from this aircraft: -->
|related=

<!-- aircraft that are of similar role, era, and capability this design: -->
|similar aircraft=*[Pilatus PC-9](/source/Pilatus_PC-9)
*[Shorts Tucano](/source/Shorts_Tucano)

<!-- relevant lists that this aircraft appears in: -->
|lists=

<!-- See [WP:Air/PC](/source/WP%3AAir%2FPC) for more explanation of these fields. -->
}}

==References==

===Notes===
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===

*Barnett, Cliff. "[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1984/1984%20-%200599.html Firecracker: trainer for tomorrow?]". ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 31 March 1984. pp.&nbsp;899–902.
*Donald, David (editor).''The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. Leicester, UK:Blitz, 1997. {{ISBN|1-85605-375-X}}.
* Field, Hugh. "[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1979/1979%20-%200865.html Firecracker in the air]". ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 17 March 1979. pp.&nbsp;831–834.
* Parker, Ian "[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1983/1983%20-%201710.html Early delivery set for Turbo-Firecracker]".  ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 17 September 1983. pp.&nbsp;738–739.
*Taylor, J.W.R.(editor) ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-1989''. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. {{ISBN|0-7106-0867-5}}.
*"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1977/1977%20-%202281.html Firecracker]". ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 23 July 1977. pp.&nbsp;275–279.
*"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1984/1984%20-%200479.html Turboprops form RAF Trainer Shortlist]". ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 24 March 1984. p.&nbsp;741
*"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200868.html Shorts Awarded Trainer Contract]". ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 30 March 1985, pp.&nbsp;8–9.
*"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%202031.html Norman calls in receiver]". ''[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)'', 6 August 1988, p.&nbsp;11.

==External links==
{{commons category|NDN Firecracker}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070624085830/http://www.ntps.edu/HTML/Aircraft/ NTPS]
*[http://www.lesavions.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=1 NAC (NDN) Firecracker et Turbo Firecracker]{{in lang|fr}}

{{Norman aircraft}}

Category:1970s British military trainer aircraft
Firecracker
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Single-engined turboprop aircraft
Category:Low-wing aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1977
Firecracker

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [NDN Firecracker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDN_Firecracker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDN_Firecracker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.