Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
The CAC Files: CA-1
CA-1 was the contract number allocated to the first order for Wirraway aircraft, an Australian-built version of the North American Aviation NA-16-2K trainer and basic combat aircraft.
Side-view of the CA-1 Wirraway showing distinguishing features including:
- Corrugated skin on the vertical stabilizer (the first 20 aircraft also had corrugated skins on the horizontal stabilizer)
- Antenna mast in front of the windshield
- Open rear section of canopy above the observer/gunner seat
- Twin Vickers Mark V .303 machine guns synchronized to fire through the propeller
- Single air-intake for oil cooler and carburettor under the engine cowl
A total of 40 Wirraways were produced under the CA-1 contract, with CAC construction numbers 1-40 and RAAF serial numbers A20-3 to A20-43
The War Cabinet decided to go ahead with an order for 40 Wirraway aircraft, based on the North American Aviation NA-33 design (also known by the NAA accounting code of NA-16-2K) rather than the NA-16-1A which was originally considered for production. Following this decision, the RAAF placed an order with CAC under Contract Demand T.374 on 15/3/1938 (the order also included 10 spare Wasp engines). The unit price for each aircraft was £8,098 and the total cost for the order was £349,920.
A flight of 3 CA-1 Wirraways (A20-4, A20-10 and A20-11). Image linked from the RAAF historical image archive. Note the original style air-intake under the cowl.
A dramatic picture of preparations for a night flight in a CA-1 Wirraway showing the single air intake under the cowl. Note that there is no air intake on the upper starboard side of the cowl. Image linked from AWM archive.
For more detailed information regarding the Wirraway, go to the Wirraway Technical Details page