Lockheed XFV

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XFV Salmon
Type	Experimental VTOL fighter aircraft
Manufacturer	Lockheed
Maiden flight	23 December, 1953
Primary user	United States Navy (intended)
Produced	1954
Number built	1 flying prototype plus 1 incomplete airframe

The American Lockheed XFV (sometimes referred to as the Salmon ^[1]) was an experimental tailsitter prototype built by Lockheed to demonstrate the operation of a vertical takeoff and landing fighter for protecting convoys.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Testing and evaluation 3 Survivors 4 Specifications 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Design and development

The XFV was powered by a 5,332 hp Allison YT40-A-14 turboprop engine driving three-bladed contra-rotating propellers. The tail surfaces were a reflected cruciform v-tail (forming an ×) that extended above and below the fuselage. The aircraft had an ungainly appearance on the ground with a make-shift, fixed landing gear attached.^[2] Lockheed employees derisively nicknamed the aircraft the "pogo stick" (hearkening back to the rival Convair XFY ^[3]).

[edit] Testing and evaluation

Starting with a brief hop on 23 December, 1953 piloted by Herman "Fish" Salmon, the aircraft made a total of 32 flights, demonstrating transition between horizontal and vertical flight. No vertical takeoffs were performed, however. The aircraft was fitted with fixed landing gear so that it could take off horizontally. Performance was disappointing, and the project was cancelled in June of 1955.

[edit] Survivors

The single flying prototype ended up at the Sun 'n Fun Museum in Lakeland, Florida. The second prototype, which was never completed, serves as a gate guardian at NAS Los Alamitos, California.

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 36 ft 10.25 in (11.23 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 22 in (8.36 m)
• Height: 36 ft 10.25 in (11.23 m)
• Wing area: 246 ft² (22.85 m m²)
• Empty weight: 11,599 lb lb (5,261 kg kg)
• Loaded weight: 16,221 lb (7,358 kg kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 16,221 lb (7,358 kg kg)
• Powerplant: 2× 1 Allison XT40-A-14 turboprop, () each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 580 mph (930 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 410 mph (660 km/h)
• Range: unknown ()
• Service ceiling 43,300 ft (13,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 10,820 ft/m (3,300 m/min)
• Wing loading: 65.9 lb/ft² (322 kg/m²)

Armament 4 20 mm cannons or 48 2.75 in rockets

Note: Performance estimates are based on XFV with YT40-A-14 engine.

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

• Convair XFY
• Ryan X-13 Vertijet
  

Related lists

• List of Lockheed aircraft
• List of fighter aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States
  

[edit] References

Notes

Bibliography

[edit] External links

• Lockheed XFV-1 at the Florida Air Museum

v • d • e Aircraft produced by Lockheed Manufacturer designations Basic Model Numbers: L-1 · L-2 · L-3 · L-4 · L-5 · L-7 · L-8 · L-9 · L-10 · L-11 · L-012 · (L-013 not assigned) · L-014 · L-015 · L-016 · L-017 · L-018 · L-019 · L-020 · L-021 · L-022 · L-023 · L-024 · (L-025 not assigned) · L-026 · L-027 · (L-028 not assigned) · L-029 · L-030 · L-031 · L-032 · L-033 · L-034 · L-035 · (L-036 not assigned) · L-037 · (L-038 and L-039 not assigned) · L-040 · L-041 · L-042 · L-044 · L-045 · L-049 · L-050 · L-051 · L-052 · L-060 · L-061 · L-062 · L-075 · L-080 · L-081 · L-082 · L-083 · L-084 · L-085 · L-086 · L-087 · L-088 · L-089 · L-090 · L-091 · L-092 · L-093 · L-094 · L-092 · L-099 · L-100 · L-193 · L-245 · L-246 · L-300 · L-329 · L-351 · L-500 · L-645 California Lockheed Temporary Design Numbers (TDN): CL-282 · CL-288 · CL-295 · CL-320 · CL-325 · CL-329 · CL-346 · CL-379 · CL-400 · CL-407 · CL-475 · CL-595 · CL-704 · CL-760 · CL-823 · CL-901 · CL-915 · CL-934 · CL-981 · CL-984 · CL-985 · CL-1026 · CL-1195 · CL-1200 · CL-1400 · CL-1600 · CL-1700 · CL-1800 · CL-1980 · By role Airliners and Civil Transports: Vega · Electra · Electra Junior · Super Electra · Lodestar · Constellation · Saturn · Electra · L-402 · JetStar · L-1011 Military Transports: C-64 · C-121 · R6V · C-130/C-130J · C-141 · C-5 · TriStar Experimental/Prototypes: NF-104A · XFV · XF-90 · XF-104 · XH-51 · XP-49 · XP-58 · XV-4 · YP-24 Fighters: P-38 · P/F-80 · F-94 · F-104 · F-16  · F-117 · F-22 · F-35 Helicopters: XH-51 · AH-56 Patrol: Hudson · PV · P-2 · P-3 · S-3 · CP-140 Reconnaissance: U-2 · A-12 · SR-71 Trainers: T-33 · T2V/T-1

v • d • e USN fighter designations pre-1962 General Aircraft/Brewster: XFA  • F2A  • F3A Boeing: FB  • F2B  • F3B  • F4B  • XF5B  • XF6B  • XF7B  • XF8B Curtiss: FC  • F2C  • F3C  • F4C  • F6C  • F7C  • F8C  • F9C  • F10C  • F11C  • XF12C  • F13C  • XF14C  • F15C Douglas: FD  • F2D  • F3D  • F4D  • F5D  • F6D Grumman: FF  • F2F  • F3F  • F4F  • XF5F  • F6F  • F7F  • F8F  • F9F Panther/F9F Cougar  • XF10F  • F11F  • XF12F Eberhart: FG  • F2G Goodyear FG  • F2G McDonnell: FH  • F2H  • F3H  • F4H Berliner-Joyce: XFJ  • F2J North American: FJ-1/FJ-2/3/4 Loening: FL Bell: XFL  • F2L  • XF3L General Motors: FM  • F2M  • F3M Seversky: FN Lockheed: FO Ryan: FR  • XF2R Northrop: XFT  • F2T Vought: FU  • XF2U  • F3U  • F4U  • XF5U  • F6U  • F7U  • F8U/XF8U-3 Lockheed: XFV Wright: WP  • F2W  • F3W Convair: XFY  • F2Y

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