Duigan pusher biplane
John Duigan · Australia · first flew 1910 · light aircraft
The Duigan pusher biplane made the first powered flight by an Australian-designed and built machine, in Victoria in 1910.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.67 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Open-framework biplane with a three-bay, equal-span, unstaggered wing cellule
- Pusher configuration with horizontal stabilisers at both front and rear
- Pilot seated on the leading edge of the lower wing
A fixed tricycle undercarriage, ailerons on both upper and lower wings, and an elevator on the rear stabiliser with a single rudder above it.
Specifications
- The Duigan pusher biplane has a length of 10.67 m (35 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.47 m (25 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
John Duigan built it with his brother Reginald on the family farm at Mia Mia, almost entirely by themselves. It first flew on 16 July 1910, covering 7 metres.
Variants
Only one was built, and it is preserved by Museum Victoria alongside a flying replica built by Ronald Lewis and flown in 1990.
Where you'll see it
Flights grew within two months to 90 metres and by the end of the year to 1 km at 30 metres. Duigan donated the aircraft to the Industrial and Technological Museum of Victoria in 1920.
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