Lockheed YO-3 – Valokuvat ja video

Nniiden Lockheed YO-3 "Quiet Star" oli amerikkalainen yksimoottorinen potkurikäyttöinen lentokone, joka kehitettiin taistelukenttien tarkkailuun Vietnamin sodan aikana. Se suunniteltiin mahdollisimman hiljaiseksi, ja sen oli tarkoitus tarkkailla joukkojen liikkeitä lähes hiljaisuudessa pimeyden tunteina.

Lähde: Lockheed YO-3 Wikipediassa

The Lockheed YO-3 was a military aircraft designed for low-altitude, low-noise observation missions during the Vietnam War. It was based on the Schweizer SGS 2-32 glider, but fitted with a specially modified engine and a five-blade propeller to reduce its acoustic signature. The YO-3 had a crew of two, a pilot and an observer, and carried various sensors and cameras for reconnaissance and surveillance. The YO-3 could fly as low as 200 feet (61 m) above the ground and as slow as 55 knots (102 km/h) without stalling. The YO-3 was operated by the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971, and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from 1972 to 1976. The YO-3 was one of the few fixed-wing aircraft that could operate effectively at night in the dense jungles of Southeast Asia.