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Lockheed XFV-1

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The American Lockheed XFV (sometimes referred to as the Salmon [1]) 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.[2] Lockheed employees derisively nicknamed the aircraft the "pogo stick" (hearkening back to the rival Convair XFY [3]).

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

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

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. Taylor 1999, p. 101. The name was very obviously derived from the Lockheed Chief Test Pilot Herman "Fish" Salmon's name.
  2. Winchester 2005, p. 135.
  3. Winchester 2005, p. 134.

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

Template:USN fighters

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