Retired RAF pilot creates Europe's FASTEST biplane after attaching two jet engines to the aircraft
- last year
A retired RAF pilot believes he has created Europe's fastest biplane after strapping two JET ENGINES to the DIY aircraft - in his garden shed.
Wacky Rich Goodwin, 60, spent four years and thousands of pounds building himself the Pitts Special muscle biplane at his home near Malvern, Worcs.
He can often be seen taking to the skies and wowing the crowds by doing loop-the-loops and barrel rolls at aerobatic displays across the country.
But now the former Tornado pilot has gone one step further to create Britain’s first homemade jet-powered plane, which can hit speeds of 220mph.
Having previously needing to remortgage his house to fund the original aircraft, he has now forked out £100,000 on two jet engines with 850lbs of thrust apiece.
The married dad-of-five began working to install the engines back in 2021 and was able to test out his new creation in January following almost two years of labour.
Thrilling Top Gun-style GoPro footage shows Rich putting the aircraft through its paces by pulling numerous dare-devil stunts.
Rich now reckons he can boast being the owner of Europe’s fastest biplane - which weighs 1,500lbs (630kg) and has a 650bhp engine.
He said: “It is very unique, many people can't believe the authorities allow me to fly it as it's a bit off the wall.
“The plane has more thrust than before, it has excess thrust. If you look at the Harrier and the F35 which hover, they all have excess thrust.
“It's not going to be going any faster than 220mph. But what can you do with this plane, we'll be able to get an altitude record for a biplane.
“It's certainly the most powerful. It's the fastest biplane in the country, theoretically, but you'd have to break all the rules. It most likely is in Europe, too.
“It's a plug-and-play situation with these engines. They just slot in on the frame.
"Having flown it nine times now with the new engines, I'm confident that's it going to be a pretty good aeroplane.
“Its taken a couple of years in extra building for the structure of the jet engine and the paperwork."
Rich began building his labour of love six years ago after spending £135,000 and finally completed his initial project in 2020.
Before then his only experience of building aircraft was putting together model planes.
Rich, who served in the RAF between 1984-1993 and flew in the Gulf War, added: “It took four years to build the biplane, it was built in my garden shed
"The top wing is 20ft long and it only fits in the shed diagonally,
“Then it’s hard to transport it to the airfield as you can't fly it out of the garden.
“During the modification process I needed to build a new set of wings and I thought I’d build a new biplane with all the modifications added on.
“The only experience building I've had before was putting together a model airplane but sometimes in life you’ve just got to get on with it."
Wacky Rich Goodwin, 60, spent four years and thousands of pounds building himself the Pitts Special muscle biplane at his home near Malvern, Worcs.
He can often be seen taking to the skies and wowing the crowds by doing loop-the-loops and barrel rolls at aerobatic displays across the country.
But now the former Tornado pilot has gone one step further to create Britain’s first homemade jet-powered plane, which can hit speeds of 220mph.
Having previously needing to remortgage his house to fund the original aircraft, he has now forked out £100,000 on two jet engines with 850lbs of thrust apiece.
The married dad-of-five began working to install the engines back in 2021 and was able to test out his new creation in January following almost two years of labour.
Thrilling Top Gun-style GoPro footage shows Rich putting the aircraft through its paces by pulling numerous dare-devil stunts.
Rich now reckons he can boast being the owner of Europe’s fastest biplane - which weighs 1,500lbs (630kg) and has a 650bhp engine.
He said: “It is very unique, many people can't believe the authorities allow me to fly it as it's a bit off the wall.
“The plane has more thrust than before, it has excess thrust. If you look at the Harrier and the F35 which hover, they all have excess thrust.
“It's not going to be going any faster than 220mph. But what can you do with this plane, we'll be able to get an altitude record for a biplane.
“It's certainly the most powerful. It's the fastest biplane in the country, theoretically, but you'd have to break all the rules. It most likely is in Europe, too.
“It's a plug-and-play situation with these engines. They just slot in on the frame.
"Having flown it nine times now with the new engines, I'm confident that's it going to be a pretty good aeroplane.
“Its taken a couple of years in extra building for the structure of the jet engine and the paperwork."
Rich began building his labour of love six years ago after spending £135,000 and finally completed his initial project in 2020.
Before then his only experience of building aircraft was putting together model planes.
Rich, who served in the RAF between 1984-1993 and flew in the Gulf War, added: “It took four years to build the biplane, it was built in my garden shed
"The top wing is 20ft long and it only fits in the shed diagonally,
“Then it’s hard to transport it to the airfield as you can't fly it out of the garden.
“During the modification process I needed to build a new set of wings and I thought I’d build a new biplane with all the modifications added on.
“The only experience building I've had before was putting together a model airplane but sometimes in life you’ve just got to get on with it."