Vought V-173

Last updated
V-173
Vought V-173.jpg
General information
Type Experimental aircraft
Manufacturer Vought
Number built1
History
First flight23 November 1942
Retired15 March 1947
Developed into Vought XF5U

The Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" is an American experimental test aircraft built as part of the Vought XF5U program during World War II.

Contents

Both the V-173 and the XF5U featured an unorthodox "all-wing" design consisting of a flat, somewhat disk-shaped body (like a pancake flying, hence the nickname) serving as the lifting surface. [1] Two piston engines buried in the body drove propellers located on the leading edge, at the wingtips. [2]

Design and development

In the 1930s, Charles H. Zimmerman was a noted aeronautical engineer who advocated the concept of "discoidal" aircraft, the so-called "Zimmer Skimmer" [3] and worked on a variety of projects on his own and with the Vought company. After testing using scale models, including a remotely controlled, electrically powered large-scale model, designated the Vought V-162, the US Navy approached Zimmerman and offered to fund further development. Data and concept documentation was given to the Navy in 1939, with wind tunnel tests on full-scale models being completed in 1940-1941.

The original prototype, designated the V-173 (Flying Pancake), was built of wood and canvas and featured a conventional, fully symmetrical aerofoil section (NACA 0015). Designed as a "proof-of-concept" prototype, the initial configuration V-173 was built as a lightweight test model powered by two 80 hp (60 kW) Continental A-80 engines turning F4U Corsair propellers. Later were fitted with a pair of specially modified 16 ft 6 in. three-bladed propellers. A tall, fixed main undercarriage combined with a small tailwheel gave the aircraft a 22° "nose-high" angle. [4]

Ground testing of the V-173 Vought V.173.jpg
Ground testing of the V-173

The disc wing design featured a low aspect ratio that overcame the built-in disadvantages of induced drag created at the wingtips with the large propellers actively canceling the drag-causing tip vortices. The propellers were arranged to rotate in the opposite direction to the tip vortices, allowing the aircraft to fly with a much smaller wing area. The small wing provided high maneuverability with greater structural strength. The empennage consisted of two vertical fins with rudders, all-moving stabilizers with anti-servo tabs, [5] and two large elevator/trim surfaces on either side of centerline on the trailing edge of the wing planform. [6]

V-173 Showing All-Flying Tail V-173 Clearly Showing All-Flying Tail with Anti-Servo tabs.png
V-173 Showing All-Flying Tail

Zimmerman chose to include the all-moving stabilizer design because he realized that the increased drag, prop wash, and large wing area would make the aircraft difficult to control at low speeds. [7] Wind tunnel tests would prove that this was a success to an extent. The aircraft would prove to require a lot of force to control at low speeds during in-flight testing but the tail design would prove to make the aircraft controllable. [8]

In January 1942, BuAer requested a proposal for two prototype aircraft of an experimental version of the V-173, known as the VS-135. The development version, the Vought XF5U-1, was a larger aircraft with all-metal construction, and was almost five times heavier. [9] Although a prototype was constructed, it only performed brief hops on the runway, it never entered true controlled flight. [6]

Operational history

Maiden flight, 23 November 1942 V-173maidenflight-1942.jpg
Maiden flight, 23 November 1942

The first flight of the V-173 was on 23 November 1942 with Vought Chief Test Pilot Boone Guyton at the controls. The aircraft's most significant problem concerned its complicated gearbox that routed power from the engines to its two long propeller shafts. The gearbox produced unacceptable amounts of vibration in ground testing, delaying the aircraft's first test flight for months. This contributed to the aircraft feeling much too heavy when maneuvering for its light weight. In addition to this on the first few flights, the pilot was never able to achieve enough speed to achieve the correct amount of airflow over the control surfaces to pull the aircraft into level flight. The test pilot Guyton discussed these issues with Zimmerman and they worked to eliminate these issues. In addition to this Guyton commented that the cockpit design was poor. He explained that in addition to the poor comfort the pilot had limited to no use for the clear bottom panels of the cockpit. He explained that the pilot sat too high in the cockpit to effectively use these lower panels for takeoff or landing. [10] Flight testing of the V-173 went on through 1942 and 1943 with 190 flights, resulting in reports of UFOs from surprised Connecticut locals. [11] Charles Lindbergh piloted the V-173 during this time and found it surprisingly easy to handle and exhibiting impressive low-speed capabilities. Both Lindbergh and Guyton found that they were almost unable to stall the aircraft. Guyton was able to keep the aircraft in flight no matter how hard he pulled the stick in low-speed flight ranges at any altitude under 20,000 ft. On one occasion, the V-173 was forced to make an emergency landing on a beach. As the pilot made his final approach, he noticed two bathers directly in his path. The pilot locked the aircraft's brakes on landing, causing the aircraft to flip over onto its back. Remarkably, the airframe proved so strong that neither the plane nor the pilot sustained any significant damage. [12] Despite their inability to stall the aircraft they did find low speed handling to be a persistent issue largely due to the shape of the lifting body. They found that the aircraft acted as an airbrake when it was pulled into a high angle of attack. This meant that the control surfaces, the horizontal stabilizers, in particular, would become very hard to operate at low speeds such as stalls, takeoff, and landing. [13]

The developmental V-173 made its last flight 31 March 1947. In 131.8 hours of flying over 190 flights, Zimmerman's theory of a near-vertical takeoff- and landing-capable fighter had been proven. [14] This project would be improved upon including the addition of potential armament with the Chance Vought XF5U. This project would improve on many of the weaknesses discovered during the testing of the V-173 prototype.

Aircraft on display

Restored Vought V-173 frontal view at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas Vought V173 Front view.jpg
Restored Vought V-173 frontal view at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas
Restored Vought V-173 rear view at the Frontiers of Flight Museum Vought V173 Rear View.jpg
Restored Vought V-173 rear view at the Frontiers of Flight Museum
Vought V-173 cockpit Vought V173 cockpi.jpg
Vought V-173 cockpit

As of April 2012, after undergoing a long restoration by Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation volunteers, the V-173 is on loan from the Smithsonian Institution to the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Specifications (V-173)

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell FH Phantom</span> Early US twinjet fighter aircraft

The McDonnell FH Phantom is a twinjet, straight-wing, carrier-based fighter aircraft designed and first flown during late World War II for the United States Navy. As a first-generation jet fighter, the Phantom was the first purely jet-powered aircraft to land on an American aircraft carrier and the first jet deployed by the United States Marine Corps. Although only 62 FH-1s were built it helped prove the viability of carrier-based jet fighters. As McDonnell's first successful fighter, it led to the development of the follow-on F2H Banshee, which was one of the two most important naval jet fighters of the Korean War; combined, the two established McDonnell as an important supplier of navy aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas F5D Skylancer</span> US carrier-based jet-powered fighter

The Douglas F5D Skylancer is a development of the F4D Skyray jet fighter for the United States Navy. Starting out as the F4D-2N, an all-weather version of the Skyray, the design was soon modified to take full advantage of the extra thrust of the Pratt & Whitney J57 eventually fitted to the Skyray instead of the Westinghouse J40 originally planned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan FR Fireball</span> American World War II-era jet and piston-engined fighter aircraft

The Ryan FR Fireball is an American mixed-power fighter aircraft designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the Navy's first aircraft with a jet engine. Only 66 aircraft were built before Japan surrendered in August 1945. The FR-1 Fireball equipped a single squadron before the war's end, but did not see combat. The aircraft ultimately proved to lack the structural strength required for operations aboard aircraft carriers and was withdrawn in mid-1947.

A circular wing is a disc-shaped wing having the outer planform of a circle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender</span> 1943 prototype fighter aircraft

The Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender is a 1940s United States prototype fighter aircraft built by Curtiss-Wright. Along with the Vultee XP-54 and Northrop XP-56, it resulted from United States Army Air Corps proposal R-40C issued on 27 November 1939 for aircraft with improved performance, armament, and pilot visibility over existing fighters; it specifically allowed for unconventional aircraft designs. An unusual design for its time, it had a canard configuration with a rear-mounted engine, and two vertical tails at end of swept wings. Because of its pusher design, it was satirically referred to as the "Ass-ender". Like the XP-54, the Ascender was designed for the 1,800 hp Pratt & Whitney X-1800 24-Cylinder H-engine, but was redesigned after that engine project was canceled. It was also the first Curtiss fighter aircraft to use tricycle landing gear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought F7U Cutlass</span> US Navy carrier-based fighter-bomber aircraft in service 1951–1959

The Vought F7U Cutlass is a United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter and fighter-bomber designed and produced by the aircraft manufacturer Chance Vought. It was the first tailless production fighter in the United States as well as the Navy's first jet equipped with swept wings and the first to be designed with afterburners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consolidated Vultee XP-81</span> Prototype fighter aircraft

The Consolidated Vultee XP-81 is a development of the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation to build a single seat, long range escort fighter that combined use of both turbojet and turboprop engines. Although promising, the lack of suitable engines combined with the end of World War II doomed the project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought XF5U</span> Experimental US Navy fighter aircraft

The Vought XF5U "Flying Flapjack" was an experimental U.S. Navy fighter aircraft designed by Charles H. Zimmerman for Vought during World War II. This unorthodox design consisted of a flat, somewhat disc-shaped body serving as the lifting surface. Two piston engines buried in the body drove propellers located on the leading edge, at the wingtips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell XFL Airabonita</span> American fighter aircraft

The Bell XFL Airabonita was an American experimental carrier-based interceptor aircraft developed for the United States Navy by Bell Aircraft Corporation of Buffalo, New York. It was similar to and a parallel development of the U.S. Army Air Corps’ land-based P-39 Airacobra, differing mainly in the use of a tailwheel undercarriage in place of the P-39's tricycle gear. Only one prototype was built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman XF5F Skyrocket</span> Fighter aircraft in the US Navy

The Grumman XF5F Skyrocket was a prototype twin-engined shipboard fighter interceptor. The United States Navy ordered one prototype, model number G-34, from Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation on 30 June 1938; its designation was XF5F-1. The aircraft had a unique appearance: The forward "nose" of the fuselage did not extend forward of the wing. Provisions were included for two 20 mm (0.787 in) Madsen cannon as armament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell YFM-1 Airacuda</span> Interwar-era bomber destroyer aircraft of the United States Army Air Corps

The Bell YFM-1 Airacuda was an American heavy fighter aircraft, developed by the Bell Aircraft Corporation for the United States Army Air Corps during the mid-1930s. It was the first military aircraft produced by Bell. Originally designated the Bell Model 1, the Airacuda first flew on 1 September 1937. The Airacuda was marked by bold design advances and considerable flaws that eventually grounded the aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed XFV</span> Experimental aircraft in the US

The Lockheed XFV is an American experimental tailsitter prototype aircraft built by Lockheed in the early 1950s to demonstrate the operation of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fighter for protecting convoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LTV XC-142</span> Experimental military tilt-wing aircraft

The Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) XC-142 is a tiltwing experimental aircraft designed to investigate the operational suitability of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) transports. An XC-142A first flew conventionally on 29 September 1964, and completed its first transitional flight on 11 January 1965 by taking off vertically, changing to forward flight, and finally landing vertically. Its service sponsors pulled out of the program one by one, and it eventually ended due to a lack of interest after demonstrating its capabilities successfully.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III</span> Fighter aircraft in the US Navy

The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was an aircraft developed by Chance Vought as a successor to the successful Vought F-8 Crusader program and as a competitor to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. Though based in spirit on the F8U-1 and F8U-2, and sharing the older aircraft's designation in the old Navy system, the two aircraft shared few parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boone Guyton</span>

Boone Tarleton Guyton United States Navy, was a naval aviator, experimental test pilot, author and businessman. In a flying career spanning the biplane era through the jet age, Guyton was perhaps best known for his test pilot years at Vought-Sikorsky and his participation in the development of the F4U Corsair and various other military aircraft including the OS2U Kingfisher and the radical Vought V-173 flying pancake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop XFT</span> Type of aircraft

The Northrop XFT was an American prototype fighter aircraft of the 1930s. A single engined low-winged monoplane, it was designed and built to meet a United States Navy order for an advanced carrier based fighter. It exhibited poor handling, and was rejected by the Navy, the single prototype being lost in a crash. A variant, the Northrop 3A, also was unsuccessful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sack AS-6</span> German experimental aircraft

The Sack AS-6 was a German prototype circular-winged aircraft built privately during the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arup S-2</span> Type of aircraft

The Arup S-2 was the first commercial development of Cloyd Snyder's Arup S-1 low aspect ratio wing aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNCASO SO.8000 Narval</span> French carrier-based strike fighter designed by Sud-Ouest in the late 1940s

The SNCASO SO.8000 Narval was a French carrier-based strike fighter designed by Sud-Ouest in the late 1940s. The French Navy ordered two prototypes in 1946 and they made their maiden flights three years later. They were plagued by aerodynamic problems and unreliability issues with their piston engines. The aircraft proved to be slow, lacking in lateral and longitudinal stability and unsuitable for carrier operations; it did not enter production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought VE-10</span> American prototype flying boat

The Vought VE-10 "Bat Boat" was an American biplane flying boat built in 1919 by Vought.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Chant 1984, p. 53.
  2. ↑ Winchester X-Planes 2005, p. 223.
  3. ↑ Pearson 2002, p. 50.
  4. ↑ Schoeni 1975, p. 568.
  5. ↑ Naval Fighters Number Twenty One Chance Vought V-173 and Xf5U-1 Flying Pancakes. Steve Ginter. 1992. pp. 1, 9, 10, 11.
  6. 1 2 "Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake"". National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. 1998. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  7. ↑ Naval Fighters Number Twenty One Chance Vought V-173 and Xf5U-1 Flying Pancakes. Steve Ginter. 1992. pp. 3, 4, 6.
  8. ↑ Naval Fighters Number Twenty One Chance Vought V-173 and Xf5U-1 Flying Pancakes. Steve Ginter. 1992. p. 8.
  9. ↑ Winchester Concept Planes 2005, p. 247.
  10. ↑ Schoeni, Thomason, Clendenin, Lawson, Williams, Swisher, Larkins, Jansson, Downey, Kawalsk, Art, Tomy, Ed, Bob, Nick, William, William, Clay, Ron, bob (1992). Naval Fighters Number Twenty One Chance Vought V-173 and Xf5U-1 Flying Pancakes (1 ed.). Steve Ginter. p. 8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Winchester X-Planes 2005, p. 222.
  12. ↑ Ginter 1992, p. 11.
  13. ↑ Ginter 1992, p. 8.
  14. ↑ Guyton 1991, p. 29.
  15. ↑ "Chance Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" | Frontiers of Flight Museum". Flightmuseum.com. 23 November 1942. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  16. ↑ "V-173 Flying Pancake". Vought Heritage. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  17. ↑ Lee, Russell (20 March 2012). "Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation Retirees Finish Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" Following 8-Year Restoration Effort". Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  18. ↑ Wright, Tim (November 2013). "Restoration: Vought V-173". Air and Space. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Bibliography

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Vought V-173 at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.