Vought V-173

Vought V-173. The Vought V-173 was an experimental United States Navy aircraft designed by Charles H. Zimmerman of Vought Aircraft in the early 1940s, with the goal of creating an aircraft that could take off and land vertically, like a helicopter, but also fly horizontally like a conventional airplane. This project was influenced by the work of Igor Sikorsky and his VS-300 helicopter, as well as the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 developed by Henrich Focke. The V-173 was also known as the "Flying Pancake" due to its unique disc-shaped design, which was inspired by the Autogyro and the Gyroplane developed by Juan de la Cierva and Cyril Pullin.

Introduction

The Vought V-173 was a result of the United States Navy's interest in developing an aircraft that could operate from small ships and perform a variety of tasks, including reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, and air support. The project was initiated in 1940, and Vought Aircraft was awarded a contract to design and build the aircraft, with Charles H. Zimmerman as the lead designer, who was also influenced by the work of Theodore von Kármán and Clark Millikan at the California Institute of Technology. The V-173 was powered by two Continental I-1430 engines, which were also used in the P-51 Mustang and the P-47 Thunderbolt, and it featured a unique disc-shaped design, with a diameter of 23 feet and a height of 5 feet, similar to the Avrocar developed by Avro Canada. The aircraft was made of aluminum and steel, with a tricycle landing gear and a pusher propeller.

Design and Development

The design of the Vought V-173 was influenced by the work of Igor Sikorsky and his VS-300 helicopter, as well as the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 developed by Henrich Focke. The aircraft featured a unique disc-shaped design, with a diameter of 23 feet and a height of 5 feet, similar to the Avrocar developed by Avro Canada. The V-173 was powered by two Continental I-1430 engines, which were also used in the P-51 Mustang and the P-47 Thunderbolt, and it had a tricycle landing gear and a pusher propeller. The aircraft was made of aluminum and steel, with a monocoque fuselage and a cantilever wing. The V-173 was designed to take off and land vertically, like a helicopter, but also fly horizontally like a conventional airplane, similar to the Bell XV-3 developed by Bell Aircraft. The project was supported by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), with contributions from Hugh L. Dryden and Theodore von Kármán.

Operational History

The Vought V-173 made its first flight on November 23, 1942, at the Stratford Army Airfield in Connecticut, with Charles H. Zimmerman at the controls, who was also a test pilot for the Lockheed XP-80 and the North American XP-51. The aircraft underwent a series of flight tests, including stall tests, spin tests, and aerobatic maneuvers, similar to those performed by the Supermarine Spitfire and the North American P-51 Mustang. The V-173 demonstrated its ability to take off and land vertically, as well as fly horizontally, but it was not without its challenges, including stability issues and control problems, similar to those experienced by the Messerschmitt Me 163 and the Lockheed XP-80. The project was eventually cancelled in 1947, due to the development of more advanced aircraft, such as the Bell X-1 and the Douglas D-558-II, but it paved the way for the development of modern VTOL aircraft, including the Harrier Jump Jet and the F-35 Lightning II, with contributions from Hawker Siddeley and Lockheed Martin.

Specifications

The Vought V-173 had a diameter of 23 feet and a height of 5 feet, with a wingspan of 23 feet and a length of 26 feet, similar to the P-51 Mustang and the P-47 Thunderbolt. The aircraft was powered by two Continental I-1430 engines, which produced 1,600 horsepower each, and it had a top speed of 350 mph and a cruise speed of 200 mph, similar to the Supermarine Spitfire and the North American P-51 Mustang. The V-173 had a range of 1,000 miles and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet, with a climb rate of 2,000 feet per minute, similar to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. The aircraft was made of aluminum and steel, with a monocoque fuselage and a cantilever wing, similar to the Avro Lancaster and the Handley Page Halifax.

Legacy

The Vought V-173 was an important step in the development of VTOL aircraft, and it paved the way for the creation of modern VTOL aircraft, including the Harrier Jump Jet and the F-35 Lightning II, with contributions from Hawker Siddeley and Lockheed Martin. The project also led to the development of new technologies, such as the tiltrotor and the tiltwing, which are used in modern aircraft, including the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey and the AgustaWestland AW609, with support from NASA and the European Space Agency. The V-173 is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., where it is recognized as a significant milestone in the history of aviation, along with the Wright Flyer and the Spirit of St. Louis, with contributions from Orville Wright and Charles Lindbergh. The V-173 has also been recognized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), with awards from the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).

Category:Aircraft