Fournier RF 4

Design and development

Conceived as a motor glider and sport touring aircraft, the RF-4 was introduced in 1966. It is of all-wood construction and is fully aerobatic. The landing gear consists of a monowheel gear which retracts forward into a fibreglass cowling. The main wheel has a brake which is manually operated. There is a small steerable tailwheel and wing-mounted outrigger wheels.

Operational history

An RF-4D was flown by Mira Slovak across the Atlantic Ocean while participating in the May 1969 Daily Mail Air Race. The flight won a £1,000 prize offered by the London Evening News for the best performance in the race by an aircraft under 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) gross take-off weight. The main landing gear fork is an ongoing maintenance issue, with regular replacements needed.

Variants

RF-4

Prototype aerobatic variant of the RF-3, three-built by Alpavia

RF-4D

Production variant, 155 built in Germany by Sportavia-Putzer, D was for Deutschland. 16 shipped to America

Specifications (RF-4D)

Data from In the Air:Number 230:Fournier RF-4D and Plane and Pilot

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 11.28 m (37 ft 0 in)

Height: 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)

Wing area: 11.3 m² (122 sq ft)

Aspect ratio: 11.2

Empty weight: 270 kg (595 lb)

Gross weight: 390 kg (860 lb)

Fuel capacity: 38 litres (8.4 imp gal; 10 US gal)

Powerplant: 1 × Rectimo 4 AR 1200 (VW) air-cooled flat-four piston engine, 29 kW (39 hp)

Propellers: 2-bladed Hoffmann, 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) diameter

Performance

Maximum speed: 196 km/h; 106 kn (122 mph)

Cruise speed: 177 km/h; 96 kn (110 mph)

Stall speed: 74 km/h; 40 kn (46 mph)

Never exceed speed: 249 km/h; 135 kn (155 mph)

Range: 644 km; 348 nmi (400 mi)

Endurance: 4

Service ceiling: 5,800 m (19,000 ft)

g limits: 11

Maximum glide ratio: 20:1

Rate of climb: 3.5 m/s (690 ft/min)