Lockheed 1, 2 & 4 Place

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

Another set of interesting drawings/artwork from the San Diego Air and Space Museum (SDASM) covering potential 1, 2 and 4 place civilian/general aviation designs for the when the war was over. Interesting to see the Little Dipper referenced as V-305 instead of the more common Model 33 (was that only for the Army model?) and the 4 seat designs are quite nice.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

...and the rest of the designs...

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Stargazer]

Such a wealth of beautiful designs!!!

Thanks once again Mark for bringing these to our attention. Are they part of the online archive of the SDASM or did you find them there while digging a bit more?

As for the V-305 designation, it was Vega's inhouse design number. As was the case with Lockheed and their L- designations, Vega types could eventually get a Model designation, and in the case of the "Dippers", that was Model 33 and Model 34. Now the tricky thing is that Vega Model Numbers were initially distinct from Lockheed ones, but after a while only one system remained; the "33" and "34" entries were part of Lockheed's list.

V-305 applied to the Little Dipper, described as a a "sport aircraft". V-306 was the Big Dipper. V-308 was a variant of the V-305 called the Flying Infantryman. Now whether the latter was the same as the Air Trooper or a different variant I couldn't say (I have the Air Trooper as another V-305 but it could be a mistake).

The V- list also contains V-309, V-310 and V-311 as "commercial transports" related to the Big Dipper design. My feeling is that these can be found among the beautiful cabin pushers you've shared.

The V-300+ series was considered different enough from the rest of Vega's designs (being mostly commercial oriented) to justify skipping the designations V-211 to V-299 altogether. Although V-301 is not documented, V-300, V-302, V-303 and V-304 were commercial transport projects, likely more conventional. Possibly the twin-boom pushers in your pics were among these?

V-312 and V-313 are only described as "light aircraft" and "liaison aircraft" respectively, but not related to either "Dipper" apparently. V-307 was a "sport helicopter", which you also found (in the other topic) as part of a "package" which Vega tried to sell the Army.

 

[Stargazer]

Although V-301 is not documented, V-300, V-302, V-303 and V-304 were commercial transport projects, likely more conventional. Possibly the twin-boom pushers in your pics were among these?

Confirmed. By zooming into the cutaway drawing of the 5-seat cabin pusher designed by a Mr. Laval, one can clearly see the designation V-302-B.

 

[riggerrob]

General question: over the last century, hundreds of pod-and-boom pusher prototypes have been built, but very few were manufactured in significant numbers (Cessna 337 Skymaster and Republic Seabee).
Why?
Was it a problem with airflow around the aft edge of the pod?
Was it a problem with airflow around the wing root?
Was it a problem with airflow into the pusher propeller?

 

[Stargazer]

very few were manufactured in significant numbers (Cessna 337 Skymaster and Republic Seabee).

Very interesting question... but where did you get the notion that the Republic Seabee was a twin-boom design?!

 

[Arjen]

Possibly somebody confusing the Nardi FN.333 Riviera and the Republic Seabee.
Image found here http://www.seabee.info/

 

[hesham]

Amazing find my dear Mark,
specially V-500.