Evans VP-2

VP-2
Evans VP-2 G-BTAZ preserved at the City of Norwich Aviation Museum in Norfolk, England
Role	Homebuilt aircraft
National origin	United States
Designer	William Samuel Evans
First flight	1971
Status	Plans available

The Evans VP-2 is a development of the Evans VP-1 Volksplane, both of which were designed in La Jolla California by William Samuel Evans a design specialist with the aircraft company Convair.^[1]

Background

Work on the design of the VP-1, was completed between 1966 and 1968, the intention being that the design would be simple to build for a novice working at home. The design was successful, and, following a first flight in September 1968, a large number of aircraft have been constructed by homebuilders. The aircraft are powered by converted Volkswagen air-cooled engines.

The VP-1 is a single-seat open-cockpit low-wing monoplane manufactured from Spruce and plywood with fabric covered wings. Performance is typically a cruise speed of 75 mph (121 km/h) and a stall speed of 40 mph (64 km/h).^[1]

Following the success of the VP-1 a two-seat variant, the VP-2 was designed and the first example flew in 1971. The VP-2 is externally similar in appearance to the VP-1 but with a 1 ft (30 cm) wider fuselage to accommodate two side-by-side configuration seats. The aircraft is 1 ft (30 cm) longer and has a 3 ft (0.9 m) addition to wingspan. The VP-2 can use any Volkswagen air-cooled engine model from 1834 to 2100 cc.^[1]

Preserved examples

• City of Norwich Aviation Museum, Norfolk, England

Specifications (60 hp engine)

Evans VP-2

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 19 ft 3 in (5.87 m)
• Wingspan: 27 ft 0 in (8.23 m)
• Wing area: 130 sq ft (12 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 4415
• Empty weight: 640 lb (290 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,040 lb (472 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 14 US gallons (53 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen air-cooled engine 1,834 cc flat-four, 60 hp (45 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 mph (161 km/h; 87 kn)
• Cruise speed: 75 mph (65 kn; 121 km/h)
• Stall speed: 40 mph (35 kn; 64 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 120 mph (104 kn; 193 km/h)
• Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s) (pilot only)

References

1. Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 141. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ISBN 0-918312-00-0
2. Taylor 1982, p. 542.

• Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.