Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer

The Williams-Cangie WC-1 Sundancer is an American homebuilt biplane racing aircraft that was designed by Art Williams and Carl Cangie and built by Ralph Thenhaus in 1974. Plans were at one time available from Williams' company, the Williams Aircraft Design Company of Northridge, California. Only one was built.

Design and development
The WC-1 Sundancer features an unusual biplane layout, with the upper wing just below the cockpit canopy and the lower gull wing mounted at the bottom of the fuselage. The wings are joined by a single interplane strut. It has a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The fuselage was derived from the Bushby Midget Mustang.

The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet, with the fuselage flush riveted stressed skin. Its 19.75 ft span wing has no flaps. The engine used was the 135 hp Lycoming O-290-D2 powerplant.

The aircraft has an empty weight of 835 lb and a gross weight of 1115 lb, giving a useful load of 280 lb. With full fuel of 16 u.s.gal the payload is 184 lb.

On its first flight the WC-1 set a national class record of 194 mph.

Operational history
Only one example was built. It was registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration in 1974.

The WC-1 was raced by pilot Sidney White and won the biplane class at the Reno Air Races. It also won five more class races in 1974.

Aircraft on display

 * San Diego Air & Space Museum – sole example