Is the NDN Firecracker historic yet??

Don’t look at this item, it sold for £105. It has a 77″ wing span!:D

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110229980201&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D110229980201%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1

NDN FIRECRACKER

HELLO MARTIN (MDF)

YOU MENTIONED ABOUT BUILDING AN RC SCALE MODEL AIRCRAFT OF THE FIRECRACKER. IVE LOCATED A MODEL OF THE AIRCRAFT.ON EBAY!.
THE ITEM NUMBER IS 110229980201. THE SELLER SAYS IT WAS BUILT BY THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AS A FLYING MOCK UP.
REGARDS CHRIS

Was really thinking in terms of population! but lets keep this on topic?

(No disrespect intended to NZ as they deserve credit for the achievements of such a small Nation)

such a small nation, yet still bigger than the UK !

NDN Firecracker

Alan Bramson did a flight test report in the Turbo Firecracker some years ago, got a copy I think somewhere!

Moondance

I believe the photograph is at Sunderland airport (usworth)

Interestingly, One of the airworthy Firecrackers was for sale late last year. Here’s the message I had from the owner :- (lottery winners only need apply!!)

Hi there, The Firecracker was built in 1984 to compete for the RAF training
contract. It is powered by a PT6-25A engine, has approx 1400 Total time and
about 100
since P & W hot section, aircraft is beautiful and unique. In my opinion it
is better than the PC-7 which sell for well over a million, I am asking
$650,000. Thanks, if you need more let me know. Regards Richard

It looks like the prototype G-NDNI is still registered in America as N182FR

N182FR is Assigned

Aircraft Description

Serial Number 001 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name NDN AIRCRAFT LTD Certificate Issue Date 08/06/2004
Model NDN-1 FIRECRACKER Status Valid
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Single-Engine Type Engine Reciprocating
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50244247
MFR Year None Fractional Owner NO

Registered Owner

Name FLIGHT RESEARCH INC
Street 702 PONDEROSA DR
City STARKVILLE State MISSISSIPPI Zip Code 39759-3548
County OKTIBBEHA
Country UNITED STATES

The others still in the US are as follows

N2157C has multiple records

Aircraft Description

Serial Number 005 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name NDN AIRCRAFT LTD Certificate Issue Date 08/20/1993
Model NDN-1T FIRECRACKER Status Valid
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Single-Engine Type Engine Turbo-Prop
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50347545
MFR Year 1983 Fractional Owner NO

Registered Owner

Name FLIGHT RESEARCH INC
Street PO BOX 1142
City STARKVILLE State MISSISSIPPI Zip Code 39760-1142
County OKTIBBEHA
Country UNITED STATES

Airworthiness

Engine Manufacturer P&W Classification Experimental
Engine Model PT6A SER Category Research and Development
Crew Training

And two in Oregon

N-Number Serial Number Name Address

50FK
006 FIRECRACKER INC 2923 FLINTLOCK ST
EUGENE OR 97408-4660

70878
007 FIRECRAKER INC 2923 FLINTLOCK ST
EUGENE OR 97408-4660

So that is c/ns 001, 005, 006 and 007 accounted for what happened to 002, 003 and 004 One of these was possibly a static test frame, which may still lurk somewhere. Any info folks? I am sure I saw Firecrackers, Fieldmasters and Firemasters in packing cases at Cardiff half a lifetime ago with c/ns into double figures.
Comments and observations much appreciated.
Be lucky
David

Isn’t the wreck at Sandown the prototype Fieldmaster? A Pawnee on steroids ag plane sort of thing. I once shared a taxi with a high up in the Air Force and the subject of the Firecracker came up. His view was that it was an evil-handling beast that needed some severe rectification before it could ever have entered service. Like other correspondents have said, he wanted the PC-9. As an Ozzie mate of mine says “Politicians… don’t vote for the b****s it only encourages them”.

Ozplane , thanks mate. That is correct, it’s my identification that is at fault – whatever happened to that? another wasted design

Isn’t the wreck at Sandown the prototype Fieldmaster? A Pawnee on steroids ag plane sort of thing. I once shared a taxi with a high up in the Air Force and the subject of the Firecracker came up. His view was that it was an evil-handling beast that needed some severe rectification before it could ever have entered service. Like other correspondents have said, he wanted the PC-9. As an Ozzie mate of mine says “Politicians… don’t vote for the b****s it only encourages them”.

There was an article in Air International, January 1984 about the NDN-1T Turbo Firecracker

Is is with Flight Research inc

Firecracker
The NDN Firecracker is a single-engine, piston-prop aircraft designed as a military trainer. The aircraft is a prototype and the aircraft never entered production. It is operated in the Experimental category.

The aircraft configuration is a tandem two seat aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by a Lycoming IO-540 engine of 260 HP driving a Hartzell three-bladed propeller. The fuel and oil systems are suitable for inverted flight. Maximum takeoff weight is 2,840 lbs.

Specifications:
Wing span: 26 ft
Length: 27 ft, 4 in
Height: 10ft
Weight (empty): 2,960 lbs
Weight (max): 3,600 lbs
Engine: Pratt and Whitney PT6A-25A
Max speed: 288 KIAS

Picture taken at Farnborough year 1980

Will, looks like the one in your photo could have been the prototype? See the photo below taken the day before it’s first flight (in 1977 if the credit is correct?)

Mike, sometimes wonder if one needs a combat record to enter this forum!! (just kidding, before the flak starts!!)

One Turbo Firecracker crash landed while operated in the US but I haven’t found if it was repaired, one for sure is used by Flight Research INC but the 3rd is an unknown!

Hopefully some one familiar with the inside of Atlantic Engineering may be able to help?

The last time I was at Sandown there was one sat behind the hangars looking very forlorn

There are a couple of R/C plans out there already, and I’m convinced there was a kit a few years back.

Just thought it was worth attaching the advert from a 1984 copy of Flight International that sparked the above rant when it arrived at the same time as I heard from AA about the Firecracker. The magazine has a technical review of the Firecracker including a 3 view drawing, also attached for anyone who wants a copy.

Just heard from Atlantic engineering that the Firecracker is no longer a British Design, it’s now owned by someone in the US who now has the drawings and the aircraft!! Hopefully they may look at putting it into production.

It’s a sad state of affairs when a small country such as New Zealand produces more aircraft than the UK. Take away the (admitedly high value/high employment) component manufacturing of BAe Systems and there’s not much left – a few Hawk trainers for final assembly overseas and assembly of the Eurofighter from parts from overseas. Bombardier, Raytheon and BN do much the same and I’m not sure if the T67 is still in production?

BAe had the chance to own about 50% of aircraft production in Europe and be a major player about 8 years ago, instead they diversified as the Chief Executive was quoted as saying ‘ Aircraft final assembly is a particularly unatractive piece of business’. With leaders like that who needs competition!!Sounds just like the story of our car and ship building industries!! In 30 years time will there be websites for people to reminisce over the Call Centers they worked in and what type of computer sytems they used?? ‘Rant over – back to work’.

(No disrespect intended to NZ as they deserve credit for the achievements of such a small Nation)

I don’t know many airfields with pubs near the taxiways?

But you are thinking airfields that are still open!….about 150 miles incorrect.

I seem to recall that the Tucano was the least preferred option for the RAF training contract,…PC-9 was first choice, followed by the Firecracker, but, post-Falklands, the product of our ‘new best friend’ Brazil, just had to win (despite the fact that a substantial redesign by Shorts was required)

Moondance, thanks for sharing the photo’s. Is it just me or is there something about the menacing look to the Turbo Firecracker that makes it a bit special?

My stab in the dark for the location of G-NDNI would be Manchester airport as I don’t know many airfields with pubs near the taxiways?

No drawings, but a few photos (and I would be very impressed if anyone identifies where the pic of G-NDNI was taken)