Radial Rocket Kitplane Offers Style, Performance
by Aero-News Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. 'Hognose'
O'Brien
Maybe you don't remember The
Rocketeer, a movie that was steeped in Art Deco, comic-book
futuristic imagery, and set in a sort of imaginary version of the
1930s. The airplane that the movie was missing is here at Oshkosh,
and it even has the right name: Radial Rocket.
From the name you might guess that it has a radial engine, and
goes like the devil. If that's what you guessed, go to the head of
the class. The Radial Rocket is powered by a Vedenyev M-14P radial,
a once-exotic Russian powerplant becoming more and more familiar to
Western pilots every day thanks to its strength, simplicity, and,
best of all, reasonable price.
Jeff Ackland, who's one of the guys behind this speedster (the
other is his partner, Mark Burrow), proudly answers questions for
all the people who are drawn to the Radial Rocket -- and nobody
gets by without being drawn to the gleaming white and red machine.
It cruises at 200-230 miles per hour (he flight plans at about 175
kt). He usually flies it at about 7,000 feet, although it could
make better time at altitude.
Nothing on the ramp looks quite like the Radial Rocket, and its
ramp appeal is undeniable. The tightly cowled radial (nothing's
been this tightly cowled since the A6M2 Zero) and scimitar-bladed
composite MT-prop first draw the eye, which then naturally flows
back past the slick canopy to the tall tail which resonates with
the ghosts of Grumman Bearcats past.
The tapered wings span 25.2 feet, but their planform betrays to
the informed observer the airplane's modern heritage.
The construction is, likewise, modern: composite, which accounts
for the smooth skin (a lot of sanding and prep work is also
involved). "Some carbon, some regular E-glass," Ackland says. The
kit is provided as fuselage halves, wing skins, a spar, and tail
and control surfaces, and is assembled more or less as a big model
plane. "Expect it to take about 2,000 hours," Ackland says, which
is in line with similar fast-glass class aircraft.
The basic kit is $44,850, which is a basic airframe kit (no
engine, no panel). Some options and builders' assistance are
available. Like other fast glass airplanes.
"Is it available with retracts?" a passerby asks. It isn't;
retracts would add significant weight and complexity, without doing
anything proportional for speed, considering how well-streamlined
the landing gear and wheel fairings are. The ground handling of the
plane, says Ackland, is unremarkable. He himself has a lot of
experience with experimental amateur-built planes, but other than
that his flying experience is in, as he puts it, "the usual spam
cans."
The nine-cylinder, 360-hp M-14P delivers the performance
promised by the machine's styling. According to factory figures,
the Radial Rocket climbs at 2000 FPM at gross weight and an
ear-popping 3500 FPM when flown solo.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)
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