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The Rollason Beta was a British midget racing monoplane developed from a competition to build a Formula One air racer in the 1960s in England.[1] The Beta was first flown on 21 April 1967. The aircraft were successful air-racers in England during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Beta
An amateur-built Beta
Role	Single seat racing monoplane Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Rollason Aircraft and Engines
First flight	21 April 1967
Number built	4 (factory-built) 5 (homebuilt)

Development

The Beta was designed by the Luton Group (who were young technicians employed by the British Aircraft Corporation at Luton)[2] in a competition to design a racing aircraft, the Rollason Midget Racer Design Competition 1964.[1]

The Beta is a fully aerobatic wooden low-wing cantilever monoplane with a cantilever tailplane with a single fin and rudder, powered by a Continental engine of between 65 and 100 hp. It has a fixed-tailwheel landing gear and an enclosed cockpit for the pilot. The original prototype Luton Beta was not completed.[1] The design was built commercially by Rollason Aircraft and Engines who made 4 aircraft at Redhill between 1967 and 1971.[1][3] Plans were also available for homebuilding; although 55 sets of drawings had been sold by early 1974, five aircraft have been registered but just three aircraft are known to have been completed, all in the UK.[2]

Operational history

The first Rollason-built Beta (registered G-ATLY and named Forerunner) won the Manx Air Derby in 1969 and the second Rollason-built aircraft (registered G-AWHV and named Blue Chip) won the Goodyear Trophy air race at Halfpenny Green in 1969.

G-ATLY was written off in a aerial collison with a Tiger Moth at Nottingham on 29 September 1973, killing the pilot,[4] G-AWHV was destroyed by fire in 1995[2] and G-AWHW crashed on 17 December 1987 at RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, killing the pilot.[5]

Variants

B.1

Powered by a 65hp Continental A65 engine, one built by Rollason later converted to B.2[2]

B.2

Powered by a 90hp Continental C90 engine, one by Rollason and one conversion from B.1[2]

B.2A

As B.2, but with steel sprung undercarriage,[2] two built by Rollason

B.4

Powered by a 100hp Rolls-Royce Continental O-200-A engine, none built.

Specifications (Beta B.2)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971–72 [6]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
• Wingspan: 20 ft 5 in (6.22 m)
• Height: 5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
• Wing area: 66 sq ft (6.1 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 6.15:1
• Airfoil: NACA 23012
• Empty weight: 560 lb (254 kg)
• Gross weight: 850 lb (386 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 10.5 imp gal (12.6 US gal; 48 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental C90 , 90 hp (67 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 202 mph (325 km/h, 176 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn) at 7,000 ft (2,100 m)
• Stall speed: 60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn) (without flaps)
• Range: 320 mi (510 km, 280 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,800 ft/min (9.1 m/s)

References

Bibliography

External links

• Rollason Beta – British Aircraft Directory

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