Ryan FR Fireball – Fotografije & Video

V Ryan FR Fireball je bilo lovsko letalo mešane moči (batno in reaktivno), ki ga je Ryan Aeronautical zasnoval za mornarico Združenih držav med drugo svetovno vojno. To je bilo prvo letalo mornarice z reaktivnim motorjem. Pred predajo Japonske avgusta 1945 je bilo zgrajenih le 66 letal. FR-1 Fireball je pred koncem vojne opremil eno eskadrilo, vendar ni videl boja. Izkazalo se je, da letalo na koncu ni imelo strukturne trdnosti, potrebne za operacije na letalonosilkah, in je bilo umaknjeno sredi leta 1947.

V Ryan FR Fireball was an experimental fighter aircraft designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the first American aircraft to be powered by a combination of a piston engine and a jet engine. The piston engine drove a propeller at the front of the aircraft, while the jet engine was mounted in the rear. The idea was to use the piston engine for takeoff, landing, and low-speed flight, and the jet engine for high-speed performance and combat. The FR Fireball had a unique appearance, with a large nose intake for the jet engine and a slender fuselage. The aircraft was armed with four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in the wings and could carry up to 1,000 lb (450 kg) of bombs or rockets under the wings.
FR Fireball je bil razvit kot odgovor na zahtevo mornarice po visoko zmogljivem lovcu, ki bi lahko deloval iz letalonosilk. Ryan Aeronautical je predlagal hibridno zasnovo, ki bi združila prednosti batnega in reaktivnega pogona. Prvi prototip je poletel junija 1944, prvi proizvodni model pa je bil dobavljen marca 1945. FR Fireball je bil dodeljen VF-66, eskadrilji s sedežem na Naval Air Station North Island v San Diegu v Kaliforniji. Eskadrila je trenirala z novim letalom in se pripravila na napotitev v pacifiško gledališče. Vendar pa je konec vojne avgusta 1945 preprečil, da bi FR Fireball videl kakršno koli bojno akcijo.
V FR Fireball was an innovative and ambitious design that demonstrated the potential of mixed propulsion systems. However, it also faced several technical challenges and limitations. The piston engine was prone to overheating and vibration, while the jet engine had a high fuel consumption and a short lifespan. The transition between the two engines was not smooth and required careful coordination by the pilot. The aircraft also had poor handling characteristics at low speeds and altitudes, making it difficult to land on carriers. The FR Fireball was soon surpassed by more advanced jet fighters that could operate without piston engines. Only 66 FR Fireballs were built, and they were retired from service in 1947.