COMMONWEALTH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION CA-12 Boomerang A46-25
Following the outbreak of WW2, the supply of aircraft and materials from Europe and America became suspect in 1940. The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation(CAC) formed in 1936 had been planning to design and produce aircraft and aircraft engines at it's Fishermans Bend works, and Chief Designer Lawrence Wackett had researched the production of a fighter aircraft using the CAC Wirraway as a basis, the terms of the Wirraway production license from North American Aviation allowing modifications. Design approval was given to the designated CA-12 aircraft in late 1941, naming it Boomerang.
Extensive modifications and redesign of the Wirraway airframe were required to convert it to a single seat fighter aircraft, but a production order for 105 units was raised in February 1942 and three months later the prototype CA-12 first flew. Under testing the aircraft's performance at mid and high altitudes was lacking and tests with higher powered engines than the1,200hp Pratt and Whitney R1830 Twin Wasp fitted failed to solve the problem, the increased weight of these in the main outweighing any performance gain.
The production order was increased from 105 to 250 and the RAAF serialed the Boomerang A46. The first production aircraft was delivered in October 1942 and the last of the 250 in February 1945. In all, three variants CA-12, CA-13, CA-14 and one prototype CA-19, were produced. The RAAF had five operational Squadrons of Boomerangs during WW2 and while being a failure as an interceptor against Japanese front line fighter aircraft, it proved to be a very successful ground attack aircraft in the South West Pacific theatre.
The Museum's Boomerang, A46-25 entered RAAF service on February 24, 1943 at No1 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Mildura Victoria, later serving with Nos 83 and 85 Squadrons before it went into storage at Oakey in Queensland on May13, 1946 from where it was reduced to components and the remains sold to Hawker Pacific in Victoria who subsequently donated the fuselage to the museum in 1994.
TECHNICAL DATA
Power plant : 1x 14 cylinder 1,200hp Pratt and Whitney radial engine
Length : 25' 6'' (7.77m) Wingspan : 26' 0'' (10.97m) Height : 10' 6'' (3.20m)
Weights : empty - 5,373lbs (2,437kg) maximum - 7,699lbs (3,492kg)
Speeds : maximum- 264kts (305mph) (490km/hr) cruise- 158kts (190mph) (305 km/hr)
Range : 930miles (1,496km)
Extensive modifications and redesign of the Wirraway airframe were required to convert it to a single seat fighter aircraft, but a production order for 105 units was raised in February 1942 and three months later the prototype CA-12 first flew. Under testing the aircraft's performance at mid and high altitudes was lacking and tests with higher powered engines than the1,200hp Pratt and Whitney R1830 Twin Wasp fitted failed to solve the problem, the increased weight of these in the main outweighing any performance gain.
The production order was increased from 105 to 250 and the RAAF serialed the Boomerang A46. The first production aircraft was delivered in October 1942 and the last of the 250 in February 1945. In all, three variants CA-12, CA-13, CA-14 and one prototype CA-19, were produced. The RAAF had five operational Squadrons of Boomerangs during WW2 and while being a failure as an interceptor against Japanese front line fighter aircraft, it proved to be a very successful ground attack aircraft in the South West Pacific theatre.
The Museum's Boomerang, A46-25 entered RAAF service on February 24, 1943 at No1 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Mildura Victoria, later serving with Nos 83 and 85 Squadrons before it went into storage at Oakey in Queensland on May13, 1946 from where it was reduced to components and the remains sold to Hawker Pacific in Victoria who subsequently donated the fuselage to the museum in 1994.
TECHNICAL DATA
Power plant : 1x 14 cylinder 1,200hp Pratt and Whitney radial engine
Length : 25' 6'' (7.77m) Wingspan : 26' 0'' (10.97m) Height : 10' 6'' (3.20m)
Weights : empty - 5,373lbs (2,437kg) maximum - 7,699lbs (3,492kg)
Speeds : maximum- 264kts (305mph) (490km/hr) cruise- 158kts (190mph) (305 km/hr)
Range : 930miles (1,496km)