Granger Archaeopteryx
F and J Granger · United Kingdom · first flew 1930 · light aircraft
The Granger Archaeopteryx is a British single-engined, tailless parasol monoplane designed and built in the late 1920s by the brothers R.F.T. and R.J.T. Granger. The sole example built is under restoration for flight.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 4.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless swept parasol monoplane with a nose-mounted tractor propeller
- All-moving wing tips acting as elevons
- Conventional vertical fin and rudder
A small swept parasol monoplane with a 32 hp Bristol Cherub in the nose and a fin and rudder but no tailplane.
Specifications
- The Granger Archaeopteryx has a length of 4.6 m (15 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.2 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 153 km/h (95 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The brothers were inspired by the Westland-Hill Pterodactyl and the designs of J. W. Dunne, and were assisted by C.H. Latimer-Needham. It first flew at Hucknall near Nottingham in October 1930.
Variants
Only one was built. It was the first tailless swept aircraft to have a nose-mounted tractor propeller.
Where you'll see it
It was flown regularly between 1930 and 1936, then stored for 30 years. It was presented to the Shuttleworth Collection in 1967 and flew again in June 1971.
Related aircraft
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