The PADC Defiant was a trainer and

light attack aircraft An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while press ...

formerly developed by the

Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation The Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC) is a state-owned aerospace and defense technological development corporation integrated to the Department of National Defense through Executive Order No. 78, s. 2019. As of 2021, PADC is u ...

to reduce dependence on second-hand aircraft for the

Philippine Air Force The Philippine Air Force (PAF) () is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Initially formed as part of the Philippine Army as the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) in 1935, the PAAC eventually saw combat ...

Development

In 1981, Gold Wings Aviation conceived an aircraft

research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in some countries as OKB, experiment and design, is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products. R&D constitutes the first stage ...

undertaking called the Norlindo program, named after one of its first engineers. The program covered a progressive development of a high-performance trainer primarily intended for use by the PAF. The program was launched as an innovative step to build an aircraft of local design and utilizing indigenous materials. Gold Wings initiated preliminary design of a twin-engine

turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...

named Norlindo and even began conceptual design of a

turbojet The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...

trainer called Tinihaban Superstrike under the All-Filipino Technology Aircraft (AFTA) project. Out of these experiences, a single, piston engine trainer aircraft was conceived, designed, built and flown within three years. The Defiant 300 prototype flew twice, the first in February 1987. The Defiant project came out to be an excellent collaborative effort of a group of aeronautical engineers, aviation enthusiasts, government agencies and research institutions. The Ramos administration in 1997 renamed the Defiant project to Centennial and was given green light alongside the PADC Hummingbird helicopters. Based on the successful flights of the prototype, Gold Wings planned to build another prototype of a modified Defiant (appropriately named Defiant 500) with an all-metal

airframe The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system. Airframe design is a field of aeros ...

and power rating increased to 500 hp. Due to lack of financial support from the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

, the plan did not push through, including another design of a

light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a Maximum Takeoff Weight, maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are use ...

called Pegasus, which was presented to the

Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...

as a contender for the proposed Philippine Army aviation arm.

Design

The two-seat tandem Defiant prototype (registered as ''RP-X239'') was an exceptional technical arrangement of various systems and parts taken from different types of aircraft in the PAF inventory. The

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...

s, flight controls and

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s motor were taken from the

Beechcraft T-34 Mentor The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is an American propeller-driven, single-engined, military trainer aircraft derived from the Beechcraft Bonanza, Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. The earlier versions of the T-34, dating from around the late 1940s to the ...

, seats from the Cessna U-17B,

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, airship, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (usually air or water). On an airplane, the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw ...

and brake pedals from the

Boeing-Stearman PT-13 The Stearman (Boeing) Model 75 is an American biplane formerly used as a military trainer aircraft, of which at least 10,626 were built in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. Stearman Aircraft became a subsidiary of Boeing in 1934. Wi ...

and various instrument items from the

Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a British light utility aircraft and regional airliner designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. Still in production, the Islander is one of the best-selling commercial air ...

, T-34 Mentor,

Sikorsky S-76 The Sikorsky S-76 is a medium-size commercial utility helicopter designed and produced by the American helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft. It is the company's first helicopter specifically developed for the civilian market. The S-76 ...

and SIAI-Marchetti SF.260. The Defiant was powered by a single Lycoming IO-540-K1B5

piston engine A reciprocating engine, more often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more Reciprocating motion, reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a Circular motion, rotating motion. This article ...

on loan from the PADC, the same engine that powers the BN-2 Islander. The prototype had the highest engine power rating of all the prototypes of local design flown so far. Noteworthy were several original features designed and fabricated by the engines with technical support from several persons and companies. The airframe was fabricated from wood and fiberglass with a Lycoming engine. The engine mount was fabricated from chrome molybdenum steel. Most significant of all was the fabrication and assembly of a one-piece plastic

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Fuel tank A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for Flammability, flammable fluids, often gasoline or diesel fuel. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine sys ...

s were constructed with 5052-H34 aluminum alloys. Instrument panel, electrical, hydraulic and pitot-static systems were laid out with the help of reference books and articles.

Variants

;Defiant 300:The first prototype, powered by a single Lycoming IO-540-K1B5

, which had its

maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. In the early days of aviation it could be dange ...

on February 22, 1988. ;Defiant 500:The second prototype, with an all-metal airframe and a 500 hp engine, was not finished due to lack of financial support from the government.

Aircraft on display

* The Defiant 300 is currently on display in a hangar at the Philippine State College of Aeronautics.

Specifications (Defiant 300)

References