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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 1563.PDF
864 Sikorsky CH-3B (S-6IA) retrieving a Q-2C drone VTOL AIRCRAFT 1964... although propulsion is by a propeller, the drive to the rotor is not cut off and the latter does not go into autorotation for cruising. The private-venture prototype flew in February 1962 as a partially stripped heli- copter and was flying in its definitive form by the autumn. Production status is not revealed. The Pathfinder has a well-stream- lined aeroplane-style fuselage with a five- seater cabin. The three-bladed rotor is mounted on a streamlined pylon, aft of which is a 500 s.h.p. UAC PT6B-2 turbine. A small tapered low wing, with flaps, is fitted. To the rear of the fuselage are attached cruciform fins which support an annulus in which revolves a propeller. Aft of the propeller are four rudder surfaces. A tailwheel undercarriage is fitted, the lever-action main wheels of which retract into the fuselage. The rotor blades and the mainplanes fold, the latter upward. In operation, the Pathfinder takes off as a helicopter, the propeller and rudders pro- viding anti-torque control. Acceleration is achieved by directing power from the rotor into the propeller and as speed increases the wings take a larger share of the lift. Greater weight can be lifted with a ground run. Rotor dia, 41ft; span n.a.; length, 25ft; height, 10ft 8in; max weight, 5,7001b this figure is for ground-run take-off of 650ft to 50ft; VTO max weight n.a.), empty, 2,6001b; max speed, I47kt; max rate of climb, l,000ftfmin; hover ceiling o.g.e., 6,200ft; range with l,950lb payload, 10 per cent reserve, 530 n.m,; with max fuel, 10 per cent reserve, 1,360 n.m. Model 59 This was the pioneer shrouded- propeller VTOL vehicle which the US Army bought for experiments in rough duty over difficult terrain before the advent of the ACV. The first version was the VZ-8P Air- geep I, which was later fitted with pontoons, when it became the Seageep I. An im- proved version, the Airgeep II (Model PA- 59H, or VZ-8P-B) has been flying since the summer of 1962. Both aircraft have two propellers in short-chord annular ducts driven by two 400 h.p. Turbomeca Artouste single-shaft turbines coupled so that either can drive both fans. Controls are similar to a helicopter, but they act upon vanes in the annuli. The Mk II has the fans set at a dihedral and is fitted with a tricycle under- carriage. Data are for the Mk II. Length, 24ft Sin; width, 9ft 3in; height, 5ft lOin; max weight, 4,8001b. Ryan Aeronautical Company Lindbergh Field, San Diego 12, California XV-5A The two prototypes of this US- Army-sponsored experimental V/STOL jet aircraft were delivered to Edwards AFB FLICHT International, 21 May 19^4 and the NASA Ames Research Center in February and March. Before the first free flights the aerodynamic behaviour will be checked in the 40ft by 80ft wind tunnel, as this will be the first full-scale wing-fan air- craft to fly. A two-seater, it has a conven- tional wing and tail with control surfaces and flaps, plus multi-blade fans let into the wing and the fuselage nose. In the fuselage top deck are two 2,6601b-thrust GE J85 turbojets which normally exhaust under the tail. For vertical flight the efflux is deflected into two bifurcated ducts which feed into volutes that impel the tip-bucket drives of the wing fans. The delivery is cross-coupled so that the port engine delivers to the for- ward volute of both fans, while the star- board one feeds the rear volutes. Similarly, each engine supplies the nose fan through separate ducting. In this way an engine failure cannot have an asymmetric effect and the duct capacities are always matched to the deliveries. The fans are estimated to augment the jet thrust by nearly 300 per cent and therefore to offer relatively econo- mical lift. In addition to doors over the fan openings there are deflector vanes to assist control and transition. The chief question-mark is whether wing lift can build up satisfactorily in the pres- ence of the fan airflow through the wing. The nose fan has a maximum lift of 1,7501b and its thrust gives pitch control, while the wing fans and their louvres are adjusted to give roll and yaw—all through the stick and rudder pedals. An additional control is a "lift stick," like a collective-pitch lever and having a twist grip throttle, to raise and lower the aircraft during VTOL. Span, 29ft 9in; main fan dia, 5ft 3in; length, 44ft tin; height, 14ft 9in; gross engine s.t., 5,3201b; max weight. 9,2001b, empty, 4,3501b; max speed at s.l., Mach 0.72 (47Skt), ot 25,000ft Mach 0.77; transition speed, lOSkt: stall, clean lOOkt, flaps down, 82kt; max rate of climb, 9,50Oftlmin; absolute ceiling, 40,000ft; ftrry range with 4,6501b internal fuel, Moch 0.7 ot 35,000ft ani 10 per cent reserve, 1,065 n.m. Sikorsky Aircraft, Division of United Air- craft Corporation Stratford, Connecticut S-58 Few pioneer companies have main- tained so pronounced a leadership as has Sikorsky—ever since Igor Sikorsky made his historic controlled helicopter flights a quarter of a century ago. In this period 4,216 helicopters have been built, mainly in the larger sizes, and the best seller has been the S-58, with 1,733 examples by March Right, Sikorsky S-62 Below, Ryan XV-SA
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