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Christensen Zipper

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Zipper
Role Air racerType of aircraft
National origin United States
Designer Harvey Christensen
Introduction 1948

The Christensen Zipper is an air racer that was built to compete in the Goodyear midget air races.

Design and development

The Christensen Zipper was developed by Harvey Christensen and was patterned after Steve Wittman's Bonzo and Buster midget racers.

The Zipper is a single-place, mid-winged aircraft with conventional landing gear. The fuselage was constructed from welded steel tubing with fabric covering. The wing used two wooden spars with strut wire bracing and fabric covering.

Operational history

During the 1948 National Air Races the aircraft was disqualified due to a spar structure inspection.

In the 1949 National Air Races the Zipper flew with the race number 59, sponsored by Rich-O-Root Beer with a qualifying run of 156.245 mph (251 km/h). Christensen flew to third place, but landed one lap early after seeing the checkered flag for a competitor who had lapped him. The Zipper fell to tenth place for landing early.

Specifications (Zipper)

Data from AAHS Journal

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 156.245 mph (251.452 km/h, 135.773 kn)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  1. Sport Aviation: 22. May 1958. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Warren Eberspacher (Spring 2004). "Life at the 1949 National Air Races with the Christensen Goodyear Midget "Zipper"". AAHS Journal: 25.
  3. Exxon Air World. 2: 138. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "air racing" (PDF). Retrieved 29 October 2012.
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