Chester Swee' Pea
Art Chester · United States · first flew 1947 · light aircraft
The Swee' Pea was a series of three midget racing aircraft designed by Art Chester. It was his third design to carry a Popeye comic name, and was built for the new midget racing class.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 4.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | V-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Short mid-wing taildragger racer
- V-tail
- Single cooling air intake through a large hole in the centre of the spinner
It has a short mid-wing taildragger layout with a V-tail. A single cooling air intake passes through a large hole in the centre of the spinner.
Specifications
- The Chester Swee' Pea has a length of 4.8 m (16 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 5.11 m (17 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 290 km/h (180 mph).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The first flight took place on 20 July 1947. The midget class required an engine of less than 190 cubic inches, and the Swee' Pea had a 85 hp Continental C85, a welded tube steel fuselage and plywood-covered wings.
Variants
Three were built. They were the original Swee' Pea, later renamed Sky Baby, the Swee' Pea II with a Y-tail, and the Wimpy, which had the main gear moved farther back.
Where you'll see it
It was introduced at the 1947 National Air Races. The V-tail performed poorly at takeoff speed and was replaced by a conventional tail for the 1948 Miami races, but top speed fell and the V-tail was refitted. Art Chester died in a crash in the Swee' Pea II on 24 April 1949.
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