Bell V-44 QTR (Quad Tilt Rotor) multi-purpose VTOL

[hesham]

Hi,

do you here about Bell V-44 and Bell-626 tilt-wing VTOL transport aircraft:

 

[Remko]

Now that the Osprey is finally in service and production, and Bell/Boeing has a go for the Quad Tilt Rotor dubbed "V-44".
What are the chances that in the next ten years or so we will actually see V-22 variants? If the US Armed Forces are happy with it, and, who knows, it will also be available for export (probably Israel / Japan) we just might see more variants. The SV-22 seems a likely option, as well as a AEW variant, especially for LHD/LHA operation, giving these amphibious forces a very capable airwing fo which now a CVN is necessary.

 

[yasotay]

"...Bell/Boeing has a go for the Quad Tilt Rotor dubbed "V-44"."

That is a bit of an overstatement at this point. It is still a concept being looked at, but no one has committed to bending metal.

 

[fightingirish]

A model of the Bell Quad TiltRotor concept design is showcased at the Sea Air Space 2016, Navy League's International Maritime Exposition.
Sources:
www.twitter.com/AirRecognition
www.twitter.com/JamesDrewNews
www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/naval-exhibitions/sea-air-space-2016.html
www.defence-blog.com/news/bell-helicopter-and-boeing-showcase-concept-of-cargo-tiltrotor-at-sea-air-space-exposition.html

Edit:
I just saw the spine on top of the fuselage. I wonder if it houses a "4x4" rotor driveshaft.

 

[fredymac]

If Lockheed is looking for something to keep its Marietta plant in production for another 50 years, I would be putting a lot of IR&D into this concept. As a replacement for the C-130, a vertical landing equivalent would attract a lot of interest. Given the freedom allowed in an IR&D program, they could also try leveraging the technology from the X-55 to reduce costs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgbr8uOaiVY

 

[Jeb]

Interesting pop-culture note: On ABC's Agents of SHIELD TV show, the bad guys of HYDRA have a quad-tiltrotor that looks like the V-44.

 

[yasotay]

The spine on the top of the QTR is indeed the drive shaft. Put there for ease of maintenance and so it did not impact the interior compartment size.

Hope springs eternal I guess. Can't see the USN doing this alone. Unless USAF Inc. has a revolt; new things with propellers will not be seen in AMC while the C-17 mafia is in charge. US Army started all this and actually got a requirement into the system, only to be crushed by USAF Inc. who did a senior flag level Arc Light on the effort at the OSD level.

 

[Kat Tsun]

If Lockheed is looking for something to keep its Marietta plant in production for another 50 years, I would be putting a lot of IR&D into this concept. As a replacement for the C-130, a vertical landing equivalent would attract a lot of interest. Given the freedom allowed in an IR&D program, they could also try leveraging the technology from the X-55 to reduce costs.

The only people who were seriously interested in it was the US Army. Thankfully, everyone shouted them down at how stupid their idea was and it finally officially died in 2008, but QTR was dead long before FCS was killed.

 

[skyblue]

Why is it such a bad idea?

 

[ADVANCEDBOY]

it is a bad idea because X-55 doesn`t represent Lockheed-Martin engineering. It is a German Do-328. Basing future on rebadging wil have long term consequences in precision engineering expertise.

 

[flateric]

Please discuss cats and X-55 in other topic(s).

 

[yasotay]

If Lockheed is looking for something to keep its Marietta plant in production for another 50 years, I would be putting a lot of IR&D into this concept. As a replacement for the C-130, a vertical landing equivalent would attract a lot of interest. Given the freedom allowed in an IR&D program, they could also try leveraging the technology from the X-55 to reduce costs.

The only people who were seriously interested in it was the US Army. Thankfully, everyone shouted them down at how stupid their idea was and it finally officially died in 2008, but QTR was dead long before FCS was killed.

Please elaborate? Would be interested in your sources.

 

[Bill S]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BELL-Quad-...008981?hash=item4d9a684ed5:g:jWkAAOSwfbJdXWwd

From the seller:

“This Item comes from a long time Bell employee who won this one of a kind wind tunnel model from a work raffle. This model was tested in their wind tunnels and during testing was damaged by its wing breaking during the test. This particular prototype was scrapped and wasn't tested again. It is a prototype of a mix of other aircraft, one being an Osprey and the other a C130. This plane never made it to production even after ongoing testing and tweaks. 10 total model prototypes were made each varying to different degrees. This is a one of a kind prototype and the only one like this produced by the Bell engineering department. Model is 22 inches long and 20 inches at it's widest point and weighs roughly 8 pounds. Please see photos and ask any questions you may have! Thanks for looking!”

I am not the seller nor associated. I just happened across this.

bill

 

[yasotay]

Well it isn't a wind tunnel model and it is not one of a kind either. Although the landing gear is certainly unique.

 

[Jemiba]

.... Although the landing gear is certainly unique.

Reminds me on some thingies, I recently bought for one of our sliding doors ...
Definitely no modelling accessories.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

https://books.google.com.eg/books?i...wIHHXYwAdk4ChDoAXoECAQQAw#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Grey Havoc]

A old video regarding the concept of operations for the Bell/Boeing QTR which I don't think has been posted before:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJovLfFmOB4


Based around a scenario set in Indonesia in the then future year 2020.

Another video, this is an earlier one I think, from 2006. This scenario was basically a 'couple of minutes in the future' one, set in the then ongoing War in Afghanistan:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bix4ptq3Who


(Incidentally, it includes a UAV cargo version of the Bell-Agusta BA609 called the FreighTR).

 

[Springtime]

Was the QTR supposed to be a CH-47D/CH-53E replacement or CH-47F CH-53K at the time alternative or just a idea bell had and were just looking at options for a bigger V-22 because i just don't think the US Army would be interested in a smaller replacement for the C-130 just look at what happened to the MD YC-15 it would have been great ut the US Army needed something a bit bigger than a Hercules

 

[yasotay]

Was the QTR supposed to be a CH-47D/CH-53E replacement or CH-47F CH-53K at the time alternative or just a idea bell had and were just looking at options for a bigger V-22 because i just don't think the US Army would be interested in a smaller replacement for the C-130 just look at what happened to the MD YC-15 it would have been great ut the US Army needed something a bit bigger than a Hercules

I suspect it was initially a replacement for the CH-47, since the Army was realizing that the Pacific was really big and CH-47 could not transit many of the large distances. It also supported the Army stillborn flirtation with Air Mechanization as part of the Future Combat Systems efforts. As the FCS systems got bigger, it got bigger. When the cost per unit got to ~$125M per aircraft the Army bailed on it to the USAF Inc.

 

[Springtime]

84 million USD just for a basic V-22 I'd imagine 124m was the low side of the cost estimate and for just 124m the US Army could just buy some CH-52K or a few CH-47F with IFR capability as standard my bet DOD figured even if a another cold war wich did happen and when it did happen they had plenty of perfectly good existing options that could be available sooner in a emergency

 

[yasotay]

The biggest problem for the Army is they have no airrefueling aircraft and everyone else is really short of them. Given the slow speed of CH-47 and CH-53 you can only use C-130 that means USMC or AFSOC. Both won't have extra platforms.

 

[RobertWL]

I don't think I'd ever seen those unmanned "freighter" tiltrotors before. Looks like they were drawing
heavily from the proposed military 609s. I still need to find those promotional flyers detailing
those and get them scanned.. :|

 

[allysonca]

Look what’s found its way into my collection!

 

[yasotay]

Very nice late model QTR.

Got one as well. Though not as late an iteration.

Since this popped up I will take the opportunity to editorialize a bit. This was such a bad idea a decade ago to some (mostly USAF Inc.), and now runway independence is a critical technological concern with much hand wringing associated.