VH-UPW  Wickner Wicko                                           (c/n  1)

                               

                                     Geoffrey Wickner was a cousin of Edgar Percival, and was another Australian who designed aircraft
                                     and eventually set up manufacture in England.    In the early 1930s he designed the Wicko Cabin
                                     Sports monoplane.  The original plan was to market it under the name Aircraft of Australia, registered
                                     in Brisbane, although in the event the business was soured by his dishonest partner.  The Wicko was,
                                     in fact, the first aircraft to be completely designed and built in Queensland.  The above image is from
                                     the John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland collection, and shows the original machine at
                                     Archerfield, before the registration was applied (if it ever was).  Originally designed to accept a 40 h.p.
                                     Sezekley engine, Wickner was unable to acquire one and instead installed a repaired 80 h.p. six cyl-
                                     inder Anzani radial engine from his Farman Sports biplane.  (Naturally it went like a bomb with twice
                                     the power).  Unfortunately DCA would not issue a Certificate of Airworthiness for the aircraft as it
                                     was deemed understrength for the 80 h.p. engine, and a year after its first registration (February 1931)
                                     its Certificate of Registration lapsed.   By now the Depression had hit Australia and Wickner left to
                                     go to England where he was later to produce (in limited numbers) the Foster Wickner Wicko.   The
                                     remains of the original Wicko Sports are held in the Queensland Museum.  In the meantime, a replica
                                     has been built (seen below in this shot by Ron Cuskelly) and hangs in the Queensland Air Museum at
                                     Caloundra.     For the complete history of Wickner and this aircraft go to the QAM's site at:
                                                             http://www.qam.com.au/aircraft/wicko/VH-UPW.htm