Doman LZ-5
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| LZ-5 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Doman |
| Designed by | Glidden Doman |
| Maiden flight | 27 April 1953 |
| Status | Prototypes only |
| Number built | 5 |
The Doman LZ-5 was a utility helicopter developed in the United States in the early 1950s. Despite the procurement of international manufacturing agreements, no series production of the aircraft ever occurred and only five prototypes were built. Two of these were evaluated by the United States Army as the YH-31.
Like the preceding LZ-1 though LZ-4, the LZ-5 utilized designer Glidden Doman's unorthodox rotorhead system, but was in all other ways a conventional helicopter pod-and-boom design. It featured wheeled quadricycle undercarriage, the main units of which carried dual wheels.
The first prototype (registration N13458) flew on 27 April 1953, and by the end of the year, the second two machines had been delivered to the Army (52-5779 and 52-5780). Eventually, the Army concluded that the complex rotor system would be too difficult to maintain in the field and no order was placed. The two prototypes were taken over as VIP transports under the designation VH-31 and flew in this role until 1958.
Doman continued with development, building another two aircraft (registrations N94561 and N812). This latter aircraft was modified with a turbo-charged engine and redesignated D-10B (the D-10 was an unrelated design). In this form, it was used to procure a production agreement with Fleet in Canada and was subsequently re-registered CF-IBG-X. Doman was also able to sell production rights for military versions to Hiller and for the Italian market to Ambrosini.
Ultimately, none of these plans were to eventuate, and the LZ-5 was obsolete without ever entering production.
[edit] Variants
- LZ-5 (3 built)
- YH-31 - LZ-5 for military evaluation (2 built), redesignated VH-31
- D-10B - turbocharged engine; (1 modified from LZ-5)
[edit] Specifications (LZ-5)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2 pilots
- Capacity: 6-7 passengers
- Length: 37 ft 11 in (11.57 m)
- Main rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.64 m)
- Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
- Wing area: 1,811 ft² (168.3 m²)
- Empty weight: 2,859 lb (1,297 kg)
- Gross weight: 5,210 lb (2,363 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-580-D, 400 hp (298 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 105 mph (169 km/h)
- Range: 244 miles (392 km)
- Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,490 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,300 ft/min (6.6 m/s)
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 238.
- Simpson, R. W. (1998). Airlife's Helicopters and Rotorcraft. Ramsbury: Airlife Publishing, 87-88.
[edit] See also
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