Lockheed XFV-1

The American Lockheed XFV (sometimes referred to as the Salmon ) was an experimental tailsitter prototype built by Lockheed to demonstrate the operation of a vertical takeoff and landing fighter for protecting convoys.

Design and development

The XFV was powered by a Template:Convert Allison YT40-A-14 turboprop engine driving three-bladed contra-rotating propellers. The tail surfaces were a reflected cruciform v-tail (forming an x) that extended above and below the fuselage. The aircraft had an ungainly appearance on the ground with a make-shift, fixed landing gear attached. Lockheed employees derisively nicknamed the aircraft the "pogo stick" (hearkening back to the rival Convair XFY ).

Testing and evaluation

Starting with a brief hop on 23 December 1953 piloted by Herman "Fish" Salmon, the aircraft made a total of 32 flights, demonstrating transition between horizontal and vertical flight. No vertical takeoffs were performed, however. The aircraft was fitted with fixed landing gear so that it could take off horizontally. Performance was disappointing, and the project was cancelled in June 1955.

Survivors

The single flying prototype ended up at the Sun 'n Fun Museum in Lakeland, Florida. The second prototype, which was never completed, serves as a gate guardian at NAS Los Alamitos, California.

Specifications

File:Lockheed XFV-1.JPG

Only XFV-1 Prototype located at Sun 'n Fun Museum, Lakeland, Florida

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 36 ft 10.25 in (11.23 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 22 in (8.36 m)
• Height: 36 ft 10.25 in (11.23 m)
• Wing area: 246 ft² (22.85 m²)
• Empty weight: 11,599 lb (5,261 kg)
• Loaded weight: 16,221 lb (7,358 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 16,221 lb (7,358 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× 1 Allison XT40-A-14 turboprop, () each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 580 mph (930 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 410 mph (660 km/h)
• Range: unknown ()
• Service ceiling: 43,300 ft (13,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 10,820 ft/min (3,300 m/min)
• Wing loading: 65.9 lb/ft² (322 kg/m²)

Armament

4 × 20 mm (.79 in) cannons or 48 × 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets

Note: Performance estimates are based on XFV with YT40-A-14 engine.

See also

Comparable aircraft

• Convair XFY
• Heinkel Lerche
• Ryan X-13 Vertijet

Related lists

• List of Lockheed aircraft
• List of fighter aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States

References

Bibliography

• Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Great Book of Fighters. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3.
• Taylor, Michael. The World's Strangest Aircraft. London: Grange Books plc, 1999. ISBN 1-85627-869-7.
• Winchester, Jim. "Lockheed XFV-1 Salmon." Concept Aircraft: Prototypes, X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft. Kent, UK: Grange Books plc., 2005. ISBN 1-84013-309-2.

External links

• Lockheed XFV-1 at the Florida Air Museum
• Lockheed XFV-1 Salmon at Virtual Aircraft Museum

Lockheed aircraft models

Airliners and Civil Transports: Vega · Electra · Electra Junior · Super Electra · Lodestar · Constellation · Saturn · L-188 Electra · L-402 · JetStar · L-1011 TriStar

Military Transports : C-64 · C-121 · R6V · C-130 Hercules · C-141 Starlifter · C-5 Galaxy

Fighters: F-22 Raptor · F-35 Lightning II · F-94 Starfire · F-104 Starfighter · F-117 Nighthawk · P-38 Lightning · P-80 Shooting Star · T-33 Shooting Star

Patrol and reconnaissance : Hudson · PV-1 Ventura · PV-2 Harpoon · P-2 Neptune · P-3 Orion · CP-140 Aurora/CP-140A Arcturus · U-2 · SR-71 Blackbird · S-3 Viking

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lockheed XFV-1".