Courtesy Ross Mahon
Installation of the left engine. Notice how
far aft the main spar is and how snugly
the engine fits.
Craig VanderKolk
Craig VanderKolk
The nose wheel fairing is pure retro.
Ross solved the engines’ long-standing
issues involving air induction.
Courtesy Ross Mahon
The instrument panel partway through the rebuild. Note the throw-over control yoke.
“The Wickham B flew as well as
the last time I had flown it so many
years ago,” said Ross. “I love to look
back and see the propellers spinning
behind me. That is a view that most
homebuilders never see. I have flown
a fair amount of GA and homebuilt
aircraft in the past: Thorp T-18s, de
Havilland Beavers, Long-EZs, RVs,
Cessnas, and Pipers. I even flew Pete
Bowers’ Fly Baby from Washington
to Oshkosh. But I have to say that
the Wickham B has its own enduring
uniqueness to it. To me it feels and
sounds like I am flying a B- 25 Mitchell or a Grumman Albatross with
the deep throaty sound the engines
make. You can fly with the fingertips
of one hand, as it is very light on the
controls. Some days I think it may be
even a little bit too sensitive.
“But when you pull the throttles
back it comes down in a hurry. It has
a lot of elevator authority in the landing flare, and it always makes beautiful, no-bounce landings because of
the Jim Wickham landing gear design
and his use of oleo struts.”
