The story of aircraft designer Geoffrey Wikner.

Australian Designed Aircraft, Geoffrey Wikner

Geoffrey Wikner was born in Grafton NSW but his parents moved to the Blue Mountains when Geoffrey was an infant. Geoffrey's Grandfather was said to be Carl Pontus Wikner, a famed Swedish lecturer in Philosophy at Oslo University When he left school his first occupation was as an apprentice electrician. He also 'moon-lighted' selling Indian motor cycles.

Geoffrey raced Indian motorcycles and a heavily modified Model T Ford that survives to this day he named the Rajo Ford. Geoffrey tried motor body building but somehow switched to become a refrigeration mechanic and moved to Queensland.

Geoffrey Wikner's Rajo Ford
Photo courtesy Ron Cuskelly- Queensland Air Museum

The first venture into flying was when Geoffrey bought an old Farman Sports Biplane and restored it. Together with a WW1 pilot, Les Kewell, he tried barnstorming but the Farman was destroyed in a crash.

Farman
Farman Sports from the Smithsonian Museum

Next came gliding, with Geoffrey building and flying gliders in several locations but primarily at Eagle Farm.

The first aircraft that Geoffrey Wikner designed and built was the Wico Cabin Sports. It was designed for a 40 hp Sezekly engine but Geoffrey was unable to purchase a Sezekly so he put the 80 hp Anzani engine from the Farman into it. This was the first aircraft designed and built in Queensland.

The first test flight was on the 25th January 1931 and the registration VH-UPW was allocated on the same day together with CofR 421. The flight took place at Archerfield. Geoffrey Wikner was not the test pilot.

The Wico Cabin Sports was fast and manoeuvrable with a high rate of climb and in 1931 Wickner establish an Australian altitude record of 17000 ft in this aircraft. On the 6th of May 1932 the Department of Civil Aviation cancelled the CofR on the grounds that the aircraft, designed for 40 hp was not strong enough for the 80hp Anzani. VH-UPW was struck of the aviation register.

Wicko Wico Cabin Sports
John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland collection

The Cabin Sports was redesigned as the Wico Lion. The Wicko Lion Morphed into the low wing Wicko Wizard after the Anzani seized in flight. The Wizard had a Cirrus motor Geoffrey had received as part payment for rebuilding an Avro Avian.

Lion The first flight of the Wizard was on the 29th April 1934.

Speeding through the air " at two miles a minute, a tiny silver monoplane made aviation history in Queensland at Archerfield aerodrome yesterday. Designed and built by Mr. G. N. Wlkner, the Brisbane pile;, it gave a remarkable exhibition of speed and maneuverability during Its first test flight, and is the fastest light aero- plane yet produced in Australia.

Part article Brisbane Courier Mail 30th April 1934.
Full article

There is a nice photo of the Wizard in the August 16, 1934 issue of flight magazine.

On the 19th May 1933 Geoffrey left for England to work with his cousin, Edgar Percival, who was at the time producing the Percival Gull aircraft. For some reason this did not eventuate. Soon after arriving in England Geoffrey met and married his wife Trudy Williams.