Watson engines are Volkswagen auto engines converted to 1/2 VW aircraft engines by Gary Watson of Newcastle, Texas. Watson developed his conversions mostly for application to his all-metal Watson Windwagon single-seat light aircraft, for which he sold plans. The Windwagon was a design for an aircraft of the same category as the Jeanie's Teeny designed by Cal Parker. Watson's 1/2 VW had a cut crankcase to remove the rear half of the engine. Watson sold plans for his conversions, which could be built from VW engines of 1600cc to 2100cc displacement (Brinks). Watson also displayed a two-cylinder inline 1/2 VW conversion at the EAA Oshkosh Show (SA10/79), but this engine does not seem to have been applied to any aircraft.
O-56 - - {3.622 / 2.717 / 56.0} / {92 / 69 / 917}
2cyl; Watson 917cc 1/2 VW; 30hp@4500rpm; 1978-1986; Wt = 80-90#.
Carbureted engine with single magneto ignition or single coil and battery ignition. The high (4500) rpm was reported by Brinks and probably was achieved with a 40" diameter, four-bladed propeller, not the 50" diameter two-bladed propeller originally installed on the Windwagon prototype (SA12/78).
BGP; Brinks; SA12/78.
Applications: (US) Watson Windwagon.