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Aviation History
1965
1965 - 0088.PDF
Son cl.il CONVAIR'S CHARGER IT is fascinating to see the resources of a major manufacturerdevoted to the development of a small aircraft. Many of themajor companies tendered for the US Navy Light Armed Reconnaissance Airplane (LARA) specification—later Counter Insurgency (COIN). North American Aviation won the official development order with the NA.300, which is to fly later this year powered by two AiResearch TPE331 turboprops, but General Dynamics Convair went ahead with their Model 48 Charger submission as a private venture, finished detail design and con- struction in under 40 weeks and have now flown 27hr 42min since November 29. Powerplant has been two 550 s.h.p. United Aircraft Canada PT6A turboprops, but modifications now in hand include fitting of the PT6A-17 and PT6A-17H opposite rotation pair of engines giving 650 s.h.p. for 5min, 600 s.h.p. military and 565 s.h.p. normal power. Definitive engines are the more powerful -15 and -15H. Although the COIN aircraft can do virtually anything tactical, the Charger is offered in two principal equipment standards, the original LARA weapon and transport system and the two-seat surveillance system. At normal gross weight of 7,1001b, the Charger, carrying one pilot, 1,1751b of fuel and 1,2171b payload can reach 50ft in 485ft, fly 50 miles, loiter for 2hr at sea level and return to land from 50ft in 488ft at 5,3001b. With extreme fuel for 2,600 n,m. it can reach 50ft in 1,710ft. Wing-tip and fuselage centreline pylons can each carry 6001b and two lateral pylons beside the cabin can each take 1,2001b. Fixed armament is four 7.62mm machine guns in fuselage blisters with 500 rounds each and ammunition boxes which can be replaced in flight. Pylon loads include Sidewinders, air-to-ground missiles, bombs, cargo con- lainers, gun pods, flares and so on. Sample payload is four Mk 81 bombs and their carriers. The second crewman is only carried for surveillance or artillery spotting; and the six parachutists are accommodated rather uncomfortably squatting in line astern with the sixth above in the rear cockpit. Though the Charger is stressed for a normal 8g and ultimate 12g and can attain dive speeds of around 400kt, its maximum level speed clean, is 277kt, at which it would presumably be very vulnerable for just the type of weapons emplaced in the targets it should attack. The right kind of terrain could be used for cover, but its survival in a straight ground-attack role is problematical. Being able to operate virtually alongside troops and from any sizeable helicopter base, the Charger's greatest attraction is probably as a helicopter escort or destroyer, a role which is increasingly engaging the attention of armies all over the world. Convair are on their own in selling the Charger but, though there is yet no official US support, final clearance to offer the aircraft abroad has not yet been received. Convair's main interest in Europe is in selling the type to NATO countries. The RAF, for one, is devoted to supersonic capability as an essential survival factor for strike aircraft. Nevertheless, Convair have produced detailed specifications and plans for testing, development and production. The first "customer airplane" would fly six months after go-ahead and first production aircraft after 11 months. First production delivery would be after 12 months and 500 aircraft would be completed in 34 months at a fly-away cost of about 1250,000 per aircraft. For aqueous areas, Convair have tank- tested a model with amphibious float gear, whose top speed would be reduced to 190kt, but weapon capability quite unaltered. Aerodynamics and Controls The wing is of 27ft 6in span, untapered and unwashed-out with a chord of 84in and a NACA 63A-4 section of 18 per cent thickness. Double-section, single-slotted flaps occupy 44 per cent chord and 90 per cent span, with maximum deflection of 60° for the inner section and an additional 30° for trailing-edge Left, head-on view showing pylon and gun layout of the Charger. Right, a manu- facturer's cut-away shows simple structure, Krueger flaps inboard of the engines, tab-operated ailerons on the outboard flaps, lateral control spoilers, tab-operated tailplane with anti-balance surface, PT6A-I7 engine installation with 9ft, three- blade propellers covering most of the 27ft Sin wing, Doppler radar in port boom, fuselage gun blisters, pilot's access step and rough-field undercarriage
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