Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer explained

The Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer is an American homebuilt biplane racing aircraft that was designed by Art Williams and Carl Cangie and built by Ralph Thenhaus in 1974. Plans were at one time available from Williams' company, the Williams Aircraft Design Company of Northridge, California. Only one was built.^[1]

Design and development

The WC-1 Sundancer features an unusual biplane layout, with the upper wing just below the cockpit canopy and the lower gull wing mounted at the bottom of the fuselage. The wings are joined by a single interplane strut. It has a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The fuselage was derived from the Bushby Midget Mustang.

The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet, with the fuselage flush riveted stressed skin. Its 19.751NaN1 span wing has no flaps. The engine used was the 1350NaN0 Lycoming O-290-D2 powerplant.

The aircraft has an empty weight of 835lb and a gross weight of 1115lb, giving a useful load of 280lb. With full fuel of the payload is 184lb.

On its first flight the WC-1 set a national class record of 194mph.

Operational history

Only one example was built. It was registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration in 1974.^[2]

The WC-1 was raced by pilot Sidney White and won the biplane class at the Reno Air Races. It also won five more class races in 1974.

Aircraft on display

• San Diego Air & Space Museum – sole example

External links

• Photo of the WC-1 in the San Diego Air & Space Museum
• Photo of the WC-1 in the San Diego Air & Space Museum

Notes and References

1. Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 160. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977.
2. Web site: N-Number Inquiry Results. 4 November 2013. Federal Aviation Administration. 4 November 2013.