Belgium may not be very famous for aircraft construction, but some designs have been extremely succesful. Remember the SV-4 training biplane ? The majority may have been built in France but it was a true Belgian design. You know the Tipsy Nipper ? Not British, but definitely Belgian, although the primary source for plans or spare parts is the UK.

The Nipper was the brainchild of Ernest Oscar Tips, who worked for the British/Belgian Avions Fairey company. His idea was to make a sturdy, affordable and easy-to-fly single seater. Performance was only a second consideration, but simplicity was of high importance to the designer who envisaged both factory and amateur construction for the tiny aircraft. On December 12, 1957, the open single-seater made its first flight in the hands of Bernard Neefs, a Fairey testpilot. After certification, the Nipper entered series production in the Avions Fairey plant at Gosselies. Nippers took part in several airshows, frequently in the capable hands of Bernard Neefs who demonstrated the unexpected aerobatic qualities of the design. Although low-powered, the Nipper proved to be capable of intricate aerobatic maneuvres, unthinkable for some more prestigious designs.

Unfortunately, the Avions Fairey company was heavily involved in the starting F-104G Starfighter programme for the Belgian Air Force and did not have enough resources to continue Nipper production. After 78 aircraft had been built , the production licence was sold to Cobelavia in 1962. Production rights switched hands again in 1966, when Nipper Aircraft Ltd. was formed at Castle Donnington, GB. Slingsby, the famous British sailplane company, built some 30 aircraft for Nipper Aircraft, after which only plans for amateur builders remained available.

The Nipper cockpit is very cramped, with the wing main spar passing just above the pilots knees. Some elbow room is provided in the wing roots, together with a downward-view window. Cockpit entry is facilitated by a step integrated in the left flap.

(Picture supplied by Jean-Pierre Lauwers)

This is one of only 2 Nippers current in the US. One of them has been converted into tailwheel configuration and is no longer airworthy, whereas this one is currently undergoing restoration and modification to full Mk.V spec, i.e. with an 80 hp Jabiru engine.

(info and picture kindly provided by N5387 owner Donald Norris)

T.66S Nipper Mk.II OO-PLG

This aircraft is nowadays converted to Jabiry power.

The Tipsy Nipper is, despite its age, still going strong. This 5-ship formation attended the annual Old-Timer Fly-in at Schaffen, Belgium, during August 2001.