The PIK-11 Tumppu (Mitten) is a Finnish single-seat sport aircraft developed by the Polyteknikkojen Ilmailukerho (Flying Club of Polytechnic Students, PIK) in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Development[]
In 1947 the PIK decided to develope its own motor aircraft, as there was no need for new glider types, and several PIK members had acquired pilot's licences. The project was launched in October 1948. The new aircraft was made single-seat to cut building costs, and because the selected building place, the basement of the Helsinki University of Technology was small. The designers were Ilkka Lounamaa and Kai Mellén. The building of the prototype began in August 1949.
The prototype, OH-YMA, was completed in Jämijärvi in January 1953 after delays caused by the lack of time and workforce, and the decision to replace the original 40 hp (30kW) Continental A-40-5 engine with a 65 hp (48kW) Continental A-65-8. The first flight took place on 15 March 1953, with Mellén flying the aircraft personally, as the intended test pilot Esko Halme from VL was late. The flying characteristics were a pleasant surprise, and no major shortcomings showed up.
Four more PIK-11s (OH-YMB, -YMC, -YMD and -YME) were built elsewhere.
Use[]
PIK used OH-YMA until 1966. At some point the 65 hp engine was replaced with a 75 hp (56 kW) Continental A-75. The aircraft was occasionally used in aerobatic displays when actual aerobatic aircraft were not available. Due to its World War II fighter-like appearance, it was used in the war movies The Unknown Soldier and 08/15 Zweiter Teil, portraying a Soviet fighter on both occasions.
Two PIK-11s are still flying: OH-YMC and OH-YME. The most short-lived PIK-11 was OH-YMB, which was destroyed in April 1955, one month after completion, after just 20 flying hours. OH-YMD crashed on 7 August 1999, killing the pilot.
Aircraft on display[]
- OH-YMA is on display at the Finnish Aviation Museum in Vantaa.
Specifications[]
- Crew: 1
- Length: 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
- Height: 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) tail down
- Airfoil: root: NACA 2414, tip: NACA 4409R
- Wing area: 9.00 m² (96.9 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 238 kg (525 lb)
- Gross weight: 373 kg (822 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65-8 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine, 65 hp (48 kW)
- Maximum speed: 220 km/h (137 mph, 119 kn) at sea level
- Cruise speed: 170 km/h (106 mph, 92 kn) at sea level
- Landing speed: 80 km/h (50 mph, 43 kn)
- Stall speed: 65 km/h (40 mph, 35 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 280 km/h (174 mph, 151 kn)
- Range: 700 km (435 mi, 378 nmi)
- g limits: +5.5 -1.5
- Rate of climb: 5.5 m/s (1,080 ft/min) initial
- Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 3 minutes 10 seconds, 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in 31 minutes
- Wing loading: 41 kg/m2 (8.4 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.13 kW/kg (0.0787 hp/lb)
- Take-off run: 300 m (984 ft) to clear 15 m (49 ft)