Kaman K-16C project

[hesham]

Hi,

the Kaman K-16C was a project for K-16 with a Kaman HU2K
helicopter fuselage and fixed wing aircraft empennage,but it
did not result in the USN contract.

http://thanlont.blogspot.com/2010/07/navy-research-aircraft-designations.html

 

[Jos Heyman]

Well, that all means what you mean by 'contract'.
This project involved a Grumman JRF-5 (04353) which was converted as the Kaman K-16B tilt wing VTOL aircraft, fitted with a tilting 34', 10.36 m and two General Electric T-58-GE-2A. Only tethered tests were conducted before the US Navy terminated the programme that had lasted from 1954 to 1962. Some references suggest that 2 Lycoming T-53-L-2 engines were fitted but this may relate to an unbuilt K-16 version.
Since the 'US Navy terminated the progamme', there must have been a contract of some sort, be it definitely not a production contract.
The fact that it did not get a designation (like all the aircaft shown on the website you mentioned) does not mean it was not on a US Navy contract. The US Navy simply did not have an X designation like the USAAF/USAF so, consequently, they came up with these strange designations.
Do not confuse this by thinking 'no designation = no contract'.

 

[Stargazer2006]

There are three totally distinct designs carrying the K-16 designation.

• K-16A was a COIN aircraft project resembling the NAA OV-10 Bronco.
• K-16B was the tilt-wing conversion of a Grumman Goose that you just mentioned.
• K-16C was apparently meant to be a Seasprite with wings...

Why three such distinct aircraft under one number is beyond me.

 

[Stargazer2006]

There actually WAS a Seasprite with wings, the YUH-2 compound helicopter... Wonder if this could have received said K-16C designation.