Ryan VZ-3 Vertiplane
The Ryan VZ- 3RY Vertiplane (factory designation Model 92) was an experimental V / STOL aircraft of the U.S. manufacturer Ryan Aeronautical Company from the late 1950s. The applied technical principle of lift generation is as a diverted air slipstream (English: Deflected slipstream ) refers. It was only built one copy to the USAF / Army serial number 56-6941 was wearing and was operated from 1959 to 1961.
History
The development of the VZ -3 began in 1956 as the Model 92 to "private venture" basis, however, participated in the same year, the U.S. Army with a contract for $ 700,000 to further research. The contract was part of an Army VTOL research program, which also Vertol was awarded a development contract for the VTOL experimental aircraft VZ -2. Another contractor was in both cases, the Office of Naval Research.
According to Ryan officials the present project was best for army liaison functions, and suitable as a light passenger and cargo transport aircraft. The interest of Ryan VTOL developments can be considered very extensive at this time, as the company also developed at the same time the X -13.
The first rolling tests were carried out in 1958, followed by the first flight took place in January 1959 at the Moffett Field in California. Flight testing showed that a hover in vertical flight was only possible if the aircraft could turn into a stronger headwind. The machine was handed over by the Ersterprobung to NASA, where still held another 21 flights. In an accident, but in which the pilot could safely get off the aircraft suffered serious damage. The VZ -3 was built with some modifications again, we now saw before an open cockpit and a fabric-covered bow section. The program was still continued until 1961.
Construction
The VZ- 3 used with a conventional high-wing design as a relatively simple design principles. However, unconventional were doubly retractable wing flaps used ranging over the ground in the extended position away to the rear and to close. To large end discs that should prevent migration of the flow from the region below the wing were on the wing. The two propeller to generate the beam bolts were located on vertical stabilizers under the wing. (: Bucket -shaped VTOL vehicle literally ) denotes a result of this impetus principle and its appearance this type aircraft were also used as bucket VTOL Craft.
The control during the vertical ascent, wherein the propeller carrying the entire weight of the aircraft, was in two ways. Differential adjustment of the angle of the propeller was responsible for the control about the roll axis, while the direction of change in the engine exhaust was used for the vertical and horizontal axis. The two Hartzell three-bladed wooden propellers were powered by a Lycoming T53 -L1 shaft turbine. During the ascent, the flaps were extended so far that the propeller jet was derived almost vertically downwards. To transition to forward flight ( Transition), the flaps were retracted slowly in conjunction with the effective date of the aerodynamic wing lift.
The clad with alloy hull plates had a length of 7.93 m, at the end sat a T-tail. The solid abgestrebte chassis was designed particularly robust because of the expected stress during testing. The spur wheel chassis originally used had to be after extensive wind tunnel tests at NASA Ames Center replaced with a fixed tricycle landing gear.