M.Hardy. Gliders & Sailplanes of the world

Ambrosini CW6 Canguru

  An early postwar Italian high-performance sailplane several of which are still in service, the CVV 6 Canguru two-seater was developed by the CVV (Centre Volo a Vela del Politecnico di Milano) and built in small numbers by Ambrosini - or Societa Aeronautica Italiana, Ing A. Ambrosini & C, to give it its full name. It was also built under licence by Meteor SpA, Costruzioni Aeronautiche. The Canguru is of conventional all-wood and fabric construction, with a high cantilever wing which has a single main spar with a torsionally stiff D-type leading edge; the wing is in two halves and can easily be detached for transport. CVV-type air brakes limit the maximum diving speed to 137mph. The oval-section fuselage is a monocoque structure and the two pilots are seated in tandem, an unusual feature being the location of the second pilot actually beneath the wing rather than ahead of it or in line with the leading edge. The cantilever tail unit has a low-set tailplane.


Data: Canguru
Span: 63 ft 3 in
Length: 26 ft 2 in
Wing area: 232.5 sq ft
Aspect ratio: 17
Empty weight: 616 lb
Weight loaded: 1,012 lb
Sinking speed: 1.96 ft/sec
Glide ratio: 30:1