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The Other CAC Aircraft
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The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, one of the big three of Australian aircraft manufacture, was founded in 1936, and was soon to be recognized as a vital part of Australian industry.
CAC’s first aircraft was a modified North American NA-33 known as the Wirraway. However, while the Wirraway was being produced, an aeronautical design team had been form ed under Lawrence Wackett, the founder and first general manager of CAC. By 1939 the first locally designed CAC air craft had been flown – the Wackett Trainer. Australian-designed aircraft had previously been flown, ranging from Duigan’s biplane to Hinkler’s Ibis. By 1978, when the last of the 56 CAC Bell Kiowa helicopters was delivered to the Australian Army, CAC had produced 10 types of aircraft for both civil and military markets. But unknown to the general public, detailed design work for over 25 types of aircraft had been undertaken by CAC design staff.
After the Wackett Trainer, work commenced on the design of a twin-engined bomber, utilising, two Pratt and Whitney Twin Row Wasp engines. A number of layouts were considered, including a Bristol Taurus-powered version, but the final result was the Pratt and Whitney-powered CA-4 Wackett Bomber, although a three engined Single Row Wasp was planned when it appeared that the Twin Wasp would not become available. A prototype CA-4 was built and flew in September 1941. After extensive flight testing and improve ment, the sole CA-4 crashed in January 1943, killing two of the three crew members.
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