Canada - USA UFOs
These initial test flights revealed the same problem discovered in the earlier studies. At heights of .9 m (3 ft), the Avrocar exhibited uncontrollable pitch motion coupled with heavy roll. The motion was unique and needed a name so Avro called it "hubcapping." Hubcapping occurred when the cushion of air supporting the aircraft close to the ground became unstable. The problem was so pronounced that flight above .9 m (3 ft) was impossible.
The U. S. Air Force conducted two flight evaluations at Malton in April 1960 and June 1961.
During these tests, the Avrocar reached a maximum speed of 56.3 kph (35 mph), but all attempts to eliminate hubcapping failed. NASA Ames had explored the other end of the flight envelope in the wind tunnel.
They discovered that the VZ-9AV had insufficient control for high-speed flight and was aerodynamically unstable. Adding a conventional empennage (vertical and horizontal tail) did not improve these flight characteristics. The technical problems seemed insurmountable and the U. S. Air Force terminated the program in December 1961 after spending $10 million.
Avro's VZ-9AV failed to perform as expected but the effort to build and fly it was not without value. The program revealed, like no paper design analysis ever could, that this was not the direction to go in the design of practical VTOL aircraft. Someone had to bite the bullet, cut metal, then build and fly prototypes to prove beyond doubt that this interesting idea was ultimately unworkable. It was an expensive risk and Avro deserves credit for taking it on. Both Avrocars ended up in the United States.
The first remained at the NASA Ames facility after the project was cancelled.
The second aircraft that flew the limited flight tests in Canada eventually arrived in Virginia at the U. S. Army's Ft. Eustis Trans-portation Museum east of Richmond, Virginia.
In April 1966, the U. S. Air Force contacted the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to say that the VZ-9AV at NASA Ames was available. In 1975, the National Air and Space Museum took possession of the first Avrocar, serial number 58-7055. The museum currently stores the aircraft at the Garber Restoration Facility at Silver Hill, Maryland.
References and Further Reading:
Blake, William B. The Avro VZ-9 'Flying Saucer'. Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 16, (Spring 1992), 287-291.
Douglass, Robert G. Flying Saucers From Canada! Invention & Technology, Vol. 11, (Winter 1996), 58-63.
Murray, Daniel C. The Avro VZ-9 Experimental Aircraft - Lessons Learned. Presented at the AIAA Designs, Systems, and Operations meeting, September 1990, Ohio.
Avro VZ-9AV Avrocar Curatorial File, Aeronautics Division, National Air and Space Museum.
Note: There was also the British-made "Skyship" which was supposedly made in the late 1950's / or early 1960's by the British firm, Airship Industries. If anyone can corroborate this information, or finds it erroneous, please let me know.
Thanks to one of our readers, here is some additional information on the "Skyship."
In an airship hangar at Cardington, England, on April 17, 1975, a 30 foot diameter scale model of the projected Skyship airship was demonstrated by designer John West.
He planned to produce a 200-foot diameter machine with a 6-10 ton payload, and eventually a 400-ton cargo-carrying version.
It would have a range of up to 1,000 miles and speed of about 100 m.p.h. The shape was intended to minimise the effect of ground winds and allow for a good load distribution.
Vectored thrust from its fan jets would be used for docking. Low operating costs would make it a suitable transport for use in Third World countries.
Source & References: www.wikipedia.com Copyright © 1998-2000 National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution Updated 09/11/2000 David Hanselman
www.wikipedia.com Copyright © 1998-2000 National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution Updated 09/11/2000 David Hanselman
Copyright © 1998-2000 National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution Updated 09/11/2000 David Hanselman
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