Tri-Service VTOL Transport proposals (XC-142 competition)

[yasotay]

I have been interested in the ducted fan concept for some years now. As modern warfare becomes more involved with urban terrain, VTOL aircraft will have to contend with the environment. I think at least Bell Helicopter is beginning to see this and has started investigating "Protected Rotor" concepts, witness the "X-Hawk" revealed at Farnbourough this last year.

Anyway here is a picture of an operationalized X-22A that I found several years ago.

 

[GTX]

Chubby fella isn't it - I can just imagine the names it would have been given in service .

Regards,

Greg

 

[Archibald]

How bloody ugly !!!!

 

[Matej]

If A-10 is "warthog", then what is this??

 

[elmayerle]

If A-10 is "warthog", then what is this??

Since it's used for transport, "Hippopotamus"?

 

[lark]

In 1959-60 Bell prepared ducted fan VTOL design studies
for the U.S.Army and Marine Corps.The latter study being the D-2022 powered
by four 20200hp. T55's and being able to carry 30 troops
at VTOL gross weight of 28.500lb.

In 1961 the D-2064 design followed conceived jointly by Bell and Lockheed.

The next stage was the Bell X-22A we all now..

 

[lark]

Error : must be - powered by four 2.200 instead...

 

[Orionblamblam]

Bell D-2064 Tri Service Transport

 

[hesham]

Hi,

the North American tilt-wing projects was very
interesting.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=KChzAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=fowler+design+of+airplane&num=100#PPP1,M1

 

[Sentinel Chicken]

Was this offered in competition to the XC-142A?

 

[hesham]

Dear Sentinel,

may be,but I don't know the other contenders in
this competition.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Via Niagara Aerospace Museum (see "trip" thread)

 

[yasotay]

Really fantastic!

Two new bits of information on ducted fan aircraft in as many days.

It makes me think of a Chinook made to operate in urban environments.

 

[lark]

Love these Bell concepts..
Thanks.

 

[brontolino]

I'm a new menber of this forum.

Can anyone send me more information ( performace, technical drawings, photo) about the Bell D-2022 and D-2064 Tri service vtol transport?


thank you

 

[hesham]

Hi,

for the military tri-service transport competition of 1961,Bell joined
with Lockheed and submitted a tilt-wing proposal,does anyone know
this competition for USAF ?,which later led to developed the Bell
X-22 for the Navy.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://jpcolliat.free.fr/x18/x18-1.htm

 

[Jemiba]

North American wasn't a company so much engaged in the design of
rotorcraft, I think, but here's another design for a 4-engined tilt wing :
(From AviationWeek 6/1961)

 

[robunos]

do we have a manufacturer for the first image?

cheers,
Robin.

 

[lark]

Sikorsky I think.
Saw this illustration in a very old Flying Review.
Have to 'dig' for the correct date...

 

[boxkite]

Piotr,

Can you tell us the source, where you found the drawing?

Thomas

 

[lark]

First drawing of the series was indeed Sikorsky.

Source :Flying Review March 1962-page 15.

No further info given.

 

[robunos]

First drawing of the series was indeed Sikorsky

thanks, looking at the picture, the cockpit glazing looks very like the sea king, gives it away, rather, ;D

cheers,
Robin.

 

[Pyrrhic victory]

Here are some comics drawn by NAA about the ludocrous nature of the Tri-Service Transport competition. Their design in the comics still reflects the naval requirement for folding wings.

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

Here are some comics drawn by NAA about the ludicrous nature of the Tri-Service Transport competition. Their design in the comics still reflects the naval requirement for folding wings.

I don't get what they're laughing at. This is the Bell D252 folding arrangement and it seems perfectly reasonable....

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

The better hover efficiency of the tiltrotor versus the tiltwing allowed Bell to meet the requirement with two engines.

 

[Apophenia]

About Sentinel Chicken's old XC-142A relationship question. The NA tilt-wing concept can't have been in competition. The Ling-Tempco-Vought prototype flew two months before the application date of the patent application.

 

[Orionblamblam]

About Sentinel Chicken's old XC-142A relationship question. The NA tilt-wing concept can't have been in competition. The Ling-Tempco-Vought prototype flew two months before the application date of the patent application.

Not sure I see the relevance. Patents are often applied for years after the design was created.

 

[boxkite]

Checking John Paul Campbell's book "Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft" (MacMillan, New York, 1962) again, I believe there were the following Tri-Service competitors:

LTV-Hiller-Ryan (the later winner = XC-142)
Bell (Helicopter Company) D252
Bell (Aerosystems Company with Lockheed) D2064
Grumman (type number unknown)
North American (type number unknown - the topic of this thread)
Boeing Vertol BV (137?)

 

[Apophenia]

Not sure I see the relevance. Patents are often applied for years after the design was created.

I defer to your superior knowledge. Not sure that I see the relevance of applying for a patent long after the design work is done, though.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Not sure I see the relevance. Patents are often applied for years after the design was created.

I defer to your superior knowledge. Not sure that I see the relevance of applying for a patent long after the design work is done, though.

1) If you apply for a patent *today,* then *today* someone else is looking at your designs. If you are sufficiently paranoid, this could imply that competition might be looking at your stuff.
2) If the competition is over and you lost (and who can be surprised... it's not paranoia, they really are out to get you!), your design might still have sufficient merit that you'll want to patent it.

And then there are th issues of extremely long periods between application and grant. I can recall off the top of my head at least one aircraft design (Boeing "Quiet Bird") that spent about 30 years between application and publication; an early stealth aircraft from the 1960's that wasn't patented until after the F-117 and B-2 were flying around in broad daylight.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Ta-da...

 

[luedo34]

So, this the NAA entry fpr the Tri-Service contest, right? What is the smaller aircraft? Do they have any names? Thanks!

 

[Orionblamblam]

So, this the NAA entry fpr the Tri-Service contest, right?

It's a larger entry, yes. Smaller entry:
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=2856

What is the smaller aircraft?

A proof of concept demonstrator.

 

[luedo34]

Thanks a lot! Very interesting stuff. Are there any technical data for the bigger aircraft, the Tri-Service contender?

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is a Boeing-Vertol BV.137 for Tri-Service competition with small info.


http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930008694_1993008694.pdf

 

[circle-5]

Pictured here is the North American Aviation factory proposal model for the Tri-Service VTOL competition. Note main gear wheels, which stay exposed when retracted. Fenestron-type pitch rotor is also noteworthy.

 

[circle-5]

If the patent image is identified as corresponding to an actual unbuilt project, it can be moved into the appropriate part of the forum.

Side view of model. Note how cabin ceiling steps up at rear of wing. This NAA proposal has the closest overall configuration to the winner, the Vought-Hiller-LTV XC-142.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Renamed and moved topic.

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Bell Lockheed D-2064.

Tandem tilt-duct design proposed by Bell Aerosystems Company and Lockheed. This design entered in the Tri-Service VTOL transport competition.

Sources:
Campbell, John P. Vertical TakeOff & Landing Aircraft. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1962.