Mid Atlantic Air Museum - Custer Channel Wing CCW-5 STOL
Bill Maloney
3/19/2008

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01 Custer Channel wing Custer Channel Wing STOL 03ChannelwingEngine 04ChannelwingChannel
01 Custer Channel Wing 02 Custer Channel Wing 03 Channel Wing Engine 04 Channel Wing Channel
05 Custer Channelwing STOL 06ChannelwingEngine 07CusterChannelwingNose 08CusterChannelwingProp
05 Custer Channel Wing 06 Channel Wing Engine 07 Custer Channel Wing Nose 08 Custer Channel Wing Prop
09ChannelwingEngine 10ChannelwingEngine 11CusterChannelwingTail 12CusterChannelwingTail
09 Channel Wing Engine 10 Channel Wing Engine 11 Custer Channel Wing Tail 12 Custer Channel Wing Tail
13CusterChannelwingDataPlat 14CusterChannelwingTail 15ChannelwingEngine 16CusterChannelwing
13 Custer Channel Wing Data Plate 14 Custer Channel Wing Tail 15 Channel Wing Engine 16 Custer Channel Wing

Custer Channel Wing CCW-5 Specifications:

Length: 28 feet, 8 inches
Wingspan:
41 feet, 2 inches
Height:
10 feet, 9 inches
Crew:
1+4
Weight:
Empty - 4,200lbs Max Takeoff - 5,400lbs
Max Speed: 180mph
Cruise Speed: 115mph
Range: 750 miles
Takeoff Roll: 200-250'
Landing Roll: 300'
Landing Speed: 36mph
Power off Stall Speed: 63mph
Power on Stall Speed: 32mph
Service Ceiling: 22,000feet
Fuel Capacity: ? gallons
Powerplant: Two Continental IO-470-T air cooled 6 cylinder engines, fuel - 100LL Avgas, 260hp each driving two bladed contra rotating propellers
First Flight : 1964
Cost: $

According to the museum this aircraft was seen hovering into an 11kt headwind and had a takeoff ground roll of only 200-150 feet! An excellent article from Popular Mechanics back in 1964 of a flight test done by an independent pilot can be found here.

The Custer Channel Wing's remarkable STOL performance is due to the configuration of the wings and propeller. As well as providing forward thrust, the prop creates a low pressure area on the upper side of the wing in the channel ahead of it, providing more lift at lower speeds than a normal wing would. It's too bad the concept was never developed further.

The museum plans to fully restore this Channel Wing.

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