Chrysler VZ-6
| Chrysler VZ-6 | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Experimental aircraft - VTOL aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1959 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
The Chrysler VZ-6 was an experimental VTOL aircraft made by the US manufacturer Chrysler Corporation in the 1950s.
history
In the mid-1950s, the US Army investigated the potential uses of VTOL devices that could take over the tasks of helicopters in combat zones, but should be easier and cheaper to manufacture. Among the most interesting of these alternative aircraft were a number of light aircraft that the Army believed should combine the versatility and manageability of a jeep with the ability to fly over dangerous or difficult terrain. The plan envisaged a simple, robust and easy-to-use vehicle that could both hover and move forward at a sufficient speed at a low altitude. Specifically, the transport of a payload of 450 kg at a cruising altitude of 1.5 to 3.6 m (5 to 12 ft) was required for flights over several hours.
The request from the US Army prompted a number of companies to submit proposals. In early 1957, Chrysler Corporation, Curtiss-Wright and Piasecki each received a contract to develop prototypes.
Chrysler's entry in the Flying Jeep competition was a single-seat aircraft in which a Lycoming piston engine powered two ducted propellers. The very simple floor plan was rectangular with rounded corners. The shape was mockingly referred to as a "bar of soap". The engine was in the middle of the vehicle, slightly shifted to the right, while the “pilot” sat to the left. One propeller was in front of and the other behind the pilot. Rubber aprons were attached to the lower edge of the vehicle to ensure that, similar to a hovercraft , the air cushion created by the propellers is retained. The propulsion for the forward flight resulted from the inclination of the front of the vehicle together with a deflection of the air flow by means of movable baffles built into the propeller casing.
At the end of 1958 the US Army took over two VZ-6 prototypes with the serial numbers 58-5506 and 5507, after which the first tied hover attempts began in early 1959. It quickly became apparent that with a takeoff mass of 1100 kg and 500 hp, the VZ-6 was clearly underpowered. In addition, there was instability around the longitudinal axis, which led to the first unrestrained flight of the first prototype overturning. Although the pilot did not suffer any serious injuries, the vehicle was a total economic loss. The US Army then decided to stop development and both prototypes were scrapped.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 6.55 m |
| Height (to the top of the pilot's seat) | 1.57 m |
| Propeller diameter | 2.59 m |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 1088 kg |
| Engines | 1 × Lycoming piston engine with 500 PS (approx. 370 kW) (type undefined, probably Lycoming O-580 -1) |
See also
literature
- Stephen Harding: Flying Jeeps - The US Army's Search for the Ultimate 'Vehicle' . In: AIR Enthusiast No. 73, January / February 1998, pp. 10-12
Web links
- Chrysler VZ-6 on aviastar.org (accessed July 18, 2015)
Individual evidence
- ↑ VZ-6 on complex.com (accessed July 21, 2015)