Barber Snark
| Barber Snark | |
|---|---|
| Role | Light aircraft |
| National origin | New Zealand |
| Manufacturer | homebuilt |
| Designer | Bill Barber |
| Status | Production discontinued |
| Number built | about 5 |
The Barber Snark is a two-seater kit-plane, designed and built in New Zealand by Bill Barber.[1] Only some five aircraft have been built.
Design and development
The Snark is a tricycle aircraft of composite construction. Its glider-like cockpit accommodates a pilot and passenger in tandem, the passenger sitting behind and higher than the pilot. The centrally mounted shoulder-wing lies behind the pilot, who has unrestricted visibility. The 80 hp (60 kW) Suzuki engine is sited behind the cockpit, driving a pusher propeller. Wing control surfaces on the third Snark were flaperons, while the fourth aircraft had conventional ailerons and flaps.[2] Above the propeller, and aft of the cockpit is a slender boom to the empennage comprising a T-tail with both fin and rudder extending above and below the boom.
The Snark's tandem layout, its small frontal area and its low "wetted area" mean that the aircraft has an excellent performance; it can cruise at over 110 knots despite having an engine output of only 80 bhp.[citation needed]
All five Snarks may be considered prototypes, as each one is developmental, and they all differ in various ways.[3] In particular, early Snarks had fabric covered wings but later Snarks had solid composite wings.[3] Although it was envisaged that the design might be introduced to the USA or to Europe (via the UK), costs proved prohibitive. There are no current plans to build any more Snarks.
Reception
The Snark received positive reviews in the UK and NZ press. Former squadron leader and aviation journalist Tim Cripps,[3][4] wrote in Pilot magazine, "this is the most enjoyable of the many aircraft I have flown - and that includes the Hunter". Similarly, David Laing, a former WWII pilot who built the fourth Snark, declared it to be "one of the nicest planes I've ever flown".[1]
Specifications (Barber Snark)
Data from Treweek[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
Performance
References
- ^ a b c Treweek, Phillip (3 October 2000). "Barber Snark". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Barber Snark HA/3". 1000aircraftphotos.com. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Minty, Sir (2014-09-22). "NZ Civil Aircraft: Homegrown Two Seat Homebuilt Aircraft of New Zealand (2) - Barber HA 2 and HA 3 Snarks". Nzcivair.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ^ "Tim Cripps | Pilot LAA Magazine". ZoomInfo.com. Retrieved 2015-09-19.