Development
The D-1 Derringer light twin design was originally designed in 1958 by John Thorp as the Thorp T-17 a twin-engined development of his Thorp T-11 Sky Scooter. The design was taken over by George Wing of the Hi-Shear Corporation. The Derringer is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. It had room for two in an enclosed cockpit with an unusual up and backward opening canopy. It was powered by two 115hp Continental O-200 engines, one mounted on the leading edge of each wing. The prototype aircraft (registered N3621G) first flew on May 1, 1962 at Torrance. A second prototype flew in November 1964 but crashed a few weeks later due to an inflight airframe failure. A static test aircraft and two more aircraft were built for testing which resulted in the award of a type certificate on December 20, 1966. The aircraft did not go into production due to internal problems within the Hi-Shear Corporation.
The Derringer used manufacturing techniques that were considered new at the time it was developed. Butt-joined, flush-riveted, chemically-milled and stretched skins are used through the airframe.
Development of a two-seat Coin/military trainer version designated Wing D-2M Derringer was begun but failed to develop further than the design stage.
In 1978 George Wing left Hi-Shear and started the Wing Aircraft Company. The company built one-pre-production aircraft followed by six production aircraft, entering bankruptcy in July 1982, after which only one further aircraft was built before seven unfinished airframes were sold.
Nine D-1 aircraft were on the U.S. civil aircraft register in May 2009.
Read more about this topic: Wing Derringer
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