4. Aircraft and Fast Boats: Wing Commander Wackett’s Unit
Series in this section relate to aircraft and aircraft engines designed and constructed at Cockatoo Island within the unit headed by Wing Commander (later Sir) Lawrence Wackett. The unit moved to Cockatoo Island in 1930 after the RAAF Experimental Station at Randwick was closed. Work on the design of aircraft and small boats, some of which were fitted with aircraft engines, was also undertaken by the unit.
| DRAWINGS AND BLUEPRINTS COLLECTED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF AN AERO ENGINE TEST BED, 1918–19 | C3469 | |
 |
Quantity: 1.80 metres
Drawings in this series were among a collection remaining on Cockatoo Island from Wing Commander Wackett’s unit. | |
| General arrangement of 1200 HP test bed, test house extension E09, 1918 | C3469, 1818 | |
| Aero engine torque reaction test bench, undated | C3469, SKR110 | |
| Aero engine portable test-stand [contractor’s drawing], 1918 | C3469, B-1320 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF THE SEAGULL AIRCRAFT CONVERSION, 1921–33 | C3419 | |
| Quantity: 3.00 metres
The drawings in this series are the original drawings from the unit headed by Wing Commander Wackett for the conversion of Widgeon type aircraft to Seagull type aircraft. | ||
| Seagull conversion, 1931 | C3419, 55 | |
| Nose ribs in lower centre section (with blueprint), 1931 | C3419, 82 | |
| Arrangement and details of tail skid, 1931 | C3419, A9-812 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF WIDGEON, WARRIGAL, JAGUAR AND LYNX AIRCRAFT, 1924–29 | C3415 | |
| Quantity: 7.00 metres | ||
| Arrangement of hull, Widgeon BS, 1924 | C3415, 39 | |
| Fittings in centre portion fuselage, Warrigal, Lynx, undated | C3415, 334 | |
| Joints and fittings, front of fuselage, Warrigal, Jaguar, undated | C3415, 608 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF COMPONENTS FOR JAGUAR AND WIDGEON MARK II AIRCRAFT, 1928 | C3421 | |
| Quantity: 0.36 metres | ||
| Standard details machine controls, 1928 | C3421, E36 | |
| Arrangement of tail skid trolley for Widgeon II, undated | C3421, E57 | |
| BOX OF LANTERN SLIDES PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, 1928–33 | C3560 | |
| Quantity: 0.18 metres
This series consists of a wooden box containing 52 glass lantern slides relating to the activities of Wing Commander Wackett’s unit. It appears they date from the period before the unit was located at Cockatoo Island, while the RAAF Experimental Station was at Randwick, although they were found in the collection at Cockatoo Island. The slides, which apparently relate to the construction of aircraft, may have been used for promotional purposes. | ||
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF CODOCK JAVELIN AIRCRAFT, 1929–32 | C3485 | |
| Quantity: 0.36 metres | ||
| Sketch of fuselage details, undated | C3485, 1 | |
| Codock revised joint drawing, undated | C3485, 4 | |
| Aileron balance weights, undated | C3485, 9 | |
| SKETCHES PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF WAGTAIL AIRCRAFT, 1929–32 | C3470 | |
| Quantity: 1.80 metres
Drawings in this series are sketches relating to the Wagtail aircraft which was probably not built. The sketches were among a collection held on Cockatoo Island from Wing Commander Wackett’s unit. | ||
| Main plane section, undated | C3470, 1 | |
| Wing arrangement, undated | C3470, 6 | |
| Elevation, undated | C3470, 13 | |
| DESIGN SKETCHES PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A MOTOR BOAT, 1929–33 | C3480 | |
| Quantity: 0.36 metres
Sketches in this series, of an unidentified motor boat, are undated, but thought to date from the period when Wing Commander Wackett’s unit was located on Cockatoo Island. It is not clear whether this vessel was ever built. | ||
| Shaft for reverse gear, undated | C3480, 1 | |
| Seat drawings, undated | C3480, 9 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD), OF THE AIRCRAFT WARBLER, 1929–33 | C3474 | |
| Quantity: 0.90 metres | ||
| Weights and moments diagram, undated | C3474, 1 | |
| Stress diagrams, undated | C3474, 3 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF CODOCK MONOPLANE, 1930–31 | C3467 | |
| Quantity: 1.80 metres | ||
| Details of wing spars, 1930 | C3467, 3 | |
| Centre section spars, 1930 | C3467, 10 | |
| Main strut end fittings, 1930 | C3467, 19 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD), OF THE 4-ENGINED MONOPLANE CORELLA, 1930–31 | C3476 | |
| Quantity: 1.24 metres
Drawings in this series relate to the 4-engined monoplane, Corella, which was apparently not built. Drawings include general arrangement drawings and details of aileron, spar, rib and wing sections. | ||
| Arrangement of wing spars, 1931 | C3476, 20 | |
| Forward rib sections, main plane, 1931 | C3476, 29 | |
| Plan view – blueprint, undated | C3476, NN | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF CODOCK JAVELIN AIRCRAFT, 1930–34 | C3420 | |
| Quantity: 1.62 metres | ||
| Codock monoplane, general arrangement (twin Napier Javelin engines), 1933 | C3420, 249 | |
| Centre ribs in cabin, 1933 | C3420, 267 | |
| F2 [Codock] wing, full size, undated | C3420, NN | |
| DESIGN DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF FOKKER VII WING REPLACEMENT FOR THE SOUTHERN CROSS, 1931 | C3431 | |
| Quantity: 0.72 metres | ||
| Rear spar loading for landing condition, 1931 | C3431, 1 | |
| Wing shear forces due to twisting moments, 1931 | C3431, 6 | |
| Drawing no. 3 – main spar webs, 1931 | C3431, 25 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A TWIN-ENGINE MONOPLANE, 1931 | C3466 | |
| Quantity: 0.90 metres | ||
| General arrangement of aileron, 1931 | C3466, 35 | |
| Rib section main plane, 1931 | C3466, 41 | |
| Weight diagram, 1931 | C3466, NN | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A 3 PLACE COUPE MONOPLANE, 1931 | C3477 | |
| Quantity: 1.20 metres | ||
| Covering plan, main plane, 1931 | C3477, 2/7 | |
| Elevation (linen tracing), 1931 | C3477, 2/15/401 | |
| Rib sections in main plane (full size), 1931 | C3477, 73 | |
| MISCELLANEOUS PROPELLER DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, 1931 | C3468 | |
| Quantity: 1.80 metres | ||
| 4-bladed airscrew for Airdesco engine, 1931 | C3468, 13 | |
| Warrigal Lynx 2-bladed airscrew, undated | C3468, 442 | |
| MISCELLANEOUS DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, 1931–32 | C3484 | |
| Quantity: 0.72 metres
Drawings in this series relate to various projects worked on by Wing Commander Wackett’s unit at Cockatoo Island. | ||
| Wing lift drawing Widgeon, undated | C3484, 22-1 | |
| Plan view amphibian flying boat for Supermarine Australian Seagull, 1931 | C3484, 57 | |
| Watersprite, elevation, 1931 | C3484, 113 | |
| Waterbird 3-place fleet reconnaissance biplane float amphibian, 1931 | C3484, 123 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF THE HYDROPLANE CETTIEN, 1932 | C3475 | |
| Quantity: 0.90 metres | ||
| Arrangement of transom, 1932 | C3475, 173 | |
| Detail of propeller attachment to shaft, 1932 | C3475, 179 | |
| Lines plan, 1932 | C3475, NN | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A PROPOSED AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION SHED, 1932 | C3471 | |
| Quantity: 0.90 metres | ||
| Roof truss details, 1932 | C3471, 2 | |
| Sketch of crane rails support, 1932 | C3471, 10 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF RACING HYDROPLANE CENTURY TIRE II, 1932–33 | C3478 | |
| Quantity: 1.20 metres | ||
| Construction plan, 1932 | C3478, 137 | |
| Propeller, 1932 | C3478, 157 | |
| Redesigned steering gear, right angle bell crank, 1933 | C3478, 225 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A 30 FOOT RUNABOUT BOAT WITH A PUMA ENGINE, 1932–33 | C3472 | |
| Quantity: 0.90 metres | ||
| Propeller, left hand, 1932 | C3472, 204 | |
| Cover plate on keel, 1933 | C3472, 437 | |
| MISCELLANEOUS DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF AIRCRAFT AND BOATS, 1932–34 | C3432 | |
| Quantity: 0.72 metres
These drawings relate to aircraft and boats which are largely unidentified. An attempt has been made to identify them, and this information has been entered in square brackets. | ||
| [Undercarriage design sketches, Codock – Javelin] (force drawing), undated | C3432, 1 | |
| Rudder bar [possibly Javelin], undated | C3432, 18 | |
| [3-seater low wing monoplane, end view (2 drawings)], undated | C3432, 34 | |
| DRAWINGS PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A HIGH SPEED FERRY, 1933 | C3473 | |
| Quantity: 3.44 metres | ||
| General arrangement high speed ferry, 1933 | C3473, 223 | |
| Rudders for ferry boat, 1933 | C3473, 421 | |
| Propeller shaft arrangement, 1933 | C3473, 431 | |
| SKETCHES PRODUCED BY WING COMMANDER (LATER SIR LAWRENCE) WACKETT’S UNIT AT COCKATOO ISLAND DOCKYARD, OF A TWIN-SCREW PASSENGER VESSEL, 1933 | C3479 | |
| Quantity: 0.18 metres | ||
| Plan and elevation, 1933 | C3479, 1 | |
| Accommodation plan, 1933 | C3479, 3 | |