Ryan X-13 Vertijet

Ryan X-13 Vertijet
Land	Usa
Rolle	Experimentelles VTOL-Jetflugzeug
Erstflug	10. Dezember 1955
Gebaut	2

das Ryan X-13 Vertijet (Firmenbezeichnung Model 69) war ein experimentelles vertikales Start- und Landeflugzeug (VTOL), das in den 1950er Jahren in den Vereinigten Staaten geflogen wurde. Das Hauptziel des Projekts war es, die Fähigkeit eines reinen Jets zu zeigen, vertikal zu starten, zu schweben, zum horizontalen Vorwärtsflug zu wechseln und vertikal zu landen.

Quelle: Ryan X-13 Vertijet auf Wikipedia

Ryan X-13 Vertijet Walk Around
Fotografen	Wladimir Nikolajewitsch Jakubow
Lokalisierung	Nationalmuseum der USAF
Fotos	96

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Ryan X-13 Walk Around
Fotograf	Howard Mason
Lokalisierung	Unbekannter
Fotos	38

Ryan X-13

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General Characteristics and Role

The Ryan X-13 Vertijet was a unique experimental jet aircraft developed for the U.S. Navy and later the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s. Its singular mission was to prove the feasibility of a “tail-sitter” Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) jet fighter that could launch vertically from a mobile platform or submarine, eliminating the need for long runways. The aircraft was configured like a flying dart, taking off and landing straight up on its tail, supported by a specialized gantry or hook system. The X-13 successfully demonstrated the entire vertical flight cycle, including takeoff, transition to horizontal flight, transition back to vertical flight, and a vertical “hook” landing on a platform.

Property	Typical Value (X-13)
Rolle	Experimental VTOL Research Aircraft
National Origin	USA
Hersteller	Ryan Aeronautical Company
First Flight (Horizontal)	10 December 1955
First Vertical Flight	11 April 1957
Crew	1 Pilot
Länge	7.14 m (23 ft 5 in)
Flügelspannweite	6.43 m (21 ft 1 in)
Konfiguration	Delta-wing, Tail-sitter, Jet VTOL
Gross Weight	3,363 kg (7,415 lb)

Powerplant and Control System

Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engine (with modifications for vertical operation).
Thrust: Approximately 44 kN (10,000 lbf).
Control System (Vertical Flight): Used a thrust deflection system achieved via small jet nozzles, or thrusters, located in the nose and wingtips. These were powered by bleed air from the engine and controlled by a conventional stick and rudder pedals, allowing the pilot to stabilize the aircraft in the hover.
Landing Gear: Featured a small hook mounted beneath the nose and support pads on the tail, as it landed vertically onto a cable stretched between the mobile launch trailer’s arms.
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.9 (approx. 1,090 km/h or 670 mph).

Program Outcome and Legacy

Success: The X-13 proved the concept of a jet-powered tail-sitter VTOL, successfully completing the world’s first full-cycle transition from vertical takeoff, to horizontal flight, and back to a vertical landing.
Conclusion: Despite its success, the operational concept was deemed too challenging and complex for tactical combat use. The pilot had to look backward over their shoulder using mirrors during the critical vertical landing phase to hook the gantry.
Influence: The lessons learned from the X-13’s control systems, especially the use of thrusters for low-speed control, were directly applied to later, more successful VTOL programs, such as the Hawker Siddeley Harrier.
Preservation: Both prototypes built were retired in 1959. One is displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio, and the other is at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.