Polliwagen

Polliwagen: The Slippery Composite Speedster

The Polliwagen is one of the most aesthetically striking homebuilt aircraft of the late 1970s. Designed by Joseph Alvarez, it was created with a single, obsessive goal: to achieve 200 mph using a simple Volkswagen engine. With its shark-like fuselage, T-tail, and incredibly smooth composite skin, it looks fast even when parked. It represents the “glass era” of homebuilding, where fiberglass allowed for aerodynamic curves that wood and metal simply couldn’t match.

Why Is It a Legend?

• Aerodynamic Perfection: It was designed to be as “slippery” as possible. The fuselage has a minimal frontal area, and the wings are flush-riveted or bonded for perfect smoothness. It looks like a miniature military drone or a glider with a propeller.

• The 200 MPH Promise: It became a legend for its bold claim: carrying two people at 200 mph on just 75 horsepower. While achieving this requires a perfect build, the potential for speed efficiency is unmatched in its class.

• Composite Pioneer: It uses a molded fiberglass and epoxy construction over foam cores (and sometimes balsa). This construction method allows for the complex, compound curves that give the Polliwagen its futuristic, “Space Age” look.

• The T-Tail Profile: Its iconic T-tail keeps the horizontal stabilizer out of the prop wash and wing wake, contributing to its low-drag profile and distinctive silhouette.

Performance and Key Numbers
These figures represent the optimal performance (the “best numbers”) that the design is capable of achieving with a turbocharged engine and a clean, lightweight build.

General Specifications:

• Crew: 2 (Side-by-side)

• Wingspan: 26 ft (7.9 m)

• Length: 16 ft (4.9 m)

• Wing Area: 90 sq ft (8.4 m²)

• Empty Weight: 600 – 680 lbs (272 – 308 kg)

• Max Takeoff Weight: 1,250 lbs (567 kg)

• Useful Load: Approx. 550 lbs (250 kg)

• Typical Engine Power: 75 – 85 hp (Revmaster 2100D Turbo or similar VW conversion)

Performance:

• Glide Ratio: Approx. 16:1 (Glider-like efficiency)

• Maximum Speed: 200 mph (322 km/h) (The design goal with turbo)

• Cruise Speed (75% power): 165 – 180 mph (265 – 290 km/h)

• Stall Speed: 52 mph (84 km/h) (With flaps)

• Rate of Climb: 800 – 1,000 ft/min (4 – 5 m/s)

• Takeoff Distance: 800 ft (244 m)

• Fuel Consumption: 4 – 5 gallons per hour (15 – 19 L/h)

• Range: Approx. 1,600 – 2,000 miles (2,500 – 3,200 km) (With tip tanks and economy cruise)

In short, the Polliwagen is the perfect choice if you are obsessed with aerodynamic efficiency, love working with composites, and want the bragging rights of flying a plane that looks like a jet but sips fuel like a compact car.