Doak VZ-4 – Foton &; Videor

Den Doak VZ-4 (eller Doak Model 16) var en amerikansk prototyp Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) flygplan byggd på 1950-talet för tjänst i USA: s armé. Endast en enda prototyp byggdes, och den amerikanska armén drog tillbaka den från aktiva försök 1963.

Källkod: Doak VZ-4 på Wikipedia

The Doak VZ-4 was an experimental aircraft developed by the Doak Aircraft Company in the 1950s for the U.S. Army. It was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that could transition to horizontal flight. The VZ-4 used a ducted fan propulsion system, in which two large fans were mounted on the wingtips and could be tilted vertically or horizontally. The fans were driven by a single turboprop engine located in the fuselage. The VZ-4 had a conventional tail and a tricycle landing gear. The pilot sat in a bubble canopy that provided good visibility.
The VZ-4 made its first flight in 1958 and performed several successful transitions between vertical and horizontal flight modes. The aircraft was capable of hovering, flying backwards, and sideways. It had a maximum speed of 200 mph and a range of 400 miles. The VZ-4 was evaluated by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force, but neither service showed interest in procuring the aircraft. The VZ-4 was retired in 1960 and donated to the Smithsonian Institution, where it is currently on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.