Ryan X-13 Vertijet

Ryan X-13 Vertijet
Country	USA
Role	Experimental VTOL jet aircraft
First flight	December 10, 1955
Built	2

The Ryan X-13 Vertijet (company designation Model 69) was an experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet aircraft flown in the United States in the 1950s. The main objective of the project was to demonstrate the ability of a pure jet to vertically takeoff, hover, transition to horizontal forward flight, and vertically land.

Source: Ryan X-13 Vertijet on Wikipedia

Ryan X-13 Vertijet Walk Around
Photographers	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	National Museum of the USAF
Photos	96

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Ryan X-13 Walk Around
Photographer	Howard Mason
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	38

Ryan X-13

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)
Role	Experimental VTOL Research Aircraft
National Origin	United States
Manufacturer	Ryan Aeronautical Company
First Flight (Horizontal)	10 December 1955
First Vertical Flight	11 April 1957
Crew	1 Pilot
Length	7.14 m (23 ft 5 in)
Wingspan	6.43 m (21 ft 1 in)
Configuration	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.