Watkinson Dingbat
C. C. Watkinson · United Kingdom · first flew 1938 · light aircraft
The Watkinson Dingbat was a small British homebuilt single-seat light monoplane first flown in 1938, representing the kind of amateur aircraft construction activity that characterised British aviation enthusiasts in the interwar period. Its compact dimensions and modest performance placed it firmly in the ultra-light category.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Very small span of 8.53 m on a 4.88 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tiny British pre-war homebuilt monoplane
- Single-seat low-wing design with simple fixed undercarriage
- Very small span of 8.53 m on a 4.88 m fuselage
Extremely small even by light-aircraft standards — the 4.88 m fuselage gives it a toy-like appearance on the ground; the low tapered wing and fixed undercarriage complete a typical prewar homebuilt profile.
Specifications
- The Watkinson Dingbat has a length of 4.88 m (16 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.53 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 145 km/h (90 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed and built by C. C. Watkinson as a private venture, the Dingbat was a pre-war amateur construction project. British homebuilding activity in the late 1930s was limited by regulations but not entirely suppressed, and small one-off designs like the Dingbat represent an important part of the light aviation heritage of the period.
Variants
The Dingbat was a single one-off aircraft with no production variants.
Where you'll see it
The aircraft was used solely for private flying by its constructor and did not serve any commercial or military purpose.
Related aircraft
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