Bell XV-15

The Bell XV -15 ( designation: Model 301) was an experimental VTOL tilt-rotors equipped with convertible aircraft of the U.S. American manufacturer Bell. The Model 301 Bell Helicopter developed based on the model 300 for testing purposes.

Operation

Change planes take off vertically with upward facing rotors like a helicopter. For receiving the horizontal flight, the rotors are then pivoted through 90 ° forwards. The transition from hover to horizontal flight is called a transition. In level flight, the wings provide lift, while the tilt-rotors generate only propulsion. The XV -15 uses as drive two turboprop engines, which are mounted in swiveling nacelles on the outside of the wing ends and drive the propeller directly.

Development

Since the experiments with the Bell XV -3 at least partially been successful in the 1950s and 1960s, in the late sixties, a new experimental aircraft with the designation was built "Model 300 ". Based on this, the "Model 301 " was completed in January 1977 that Bell had designed and built together with NASA. On 3 May 1977, the first hover was completed, but only in 1979 the first successful transition. In the course of development, the Army had an interest, and so the model was 301, the military designation " XV- 14", but this was rejected by NASA. Man held the possible confusion with the then -proven X -14 was too high, and so the name " XV -15" has been assigned.

An automatic flight control and stabilization system stability problems that the XV -3 still had in level flight at the then tests could be solved, leading to the development of this design.

During test flights, the XV -15 reached a largest cruising speed of 556 km / h at an altitude of 4877 meters. To 1983 were cruising speeds of 500 km / h over land routine.

In 1989, the direct result of the XV -15 attempts Premiere: Along with Bell Boeing had developed the V-22 " Osprey ". This is now, among other things in the service of the United States Marine Corps.

Specifications

  • Length: 12.83 m
  • Wingspan: 17.42 m (with rotors turning )
  • Height: 4.67 m
  • Rotor diameter: 7.62 m
  • Take off weight: 5897 kg
  • Empty weight: 4350 kg
  • Maximum speed: 557 km / h
  • Service ceiling: 8840 m
  • Hover Height: 2635 m (without ground effect )
  • Range: 825 km
  • Drive: 2 x Avco Lycoming LTC1K -4K shaft turbines, each with 1156 kW
Tiltrotor Bell XV-3 Bell X-14 Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey Ground effect (aircraft) Bell 30 Bell 47 Bell 205 Bell 214 Bell 214ST Bell 222 Bell 407 Bell 427 Bell 429 Bell 430 Bell 505 Jet Ranger X Bell 525 Relentless Bell OH-58 Kiowa Bell-Boeing Quad TiltRotor Bell V-280 Valor Bell P-59 Airacomet Bell P-63 Kingcobra Bell YFM-1 Airacuda Bell X-1 Bell X-2 Bell X-5 Bell X-9 Shrike Bell X-16 Bell X-22 Bell XP-77 Bell XP-83 Grumman OV-1 Mohawk Ryan XV-5 Vertifan Hawker Siddeley P.1127 De Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo Ryan XV-8 Hawker Siddeley Harrier Hughes XV-9 Mississippi State University XV-11 Marvel
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