Couple interesting Test Aircraft.

[kenlyco]

Found these aircraft pics ,dont know if they been posted before.cool.!!

Last edited by kenlyco on Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[skybolt2003]

#2 is I think a Westland Wyvern.

[skybolt2003]

#1 is a McDonnell XF-88B

[CAPFlyer]

#2 is definitely a Wyvern, but it's not exactly a test aircraft as it served for 4 years with the Royal Navy and was their first turboprop aircraft and (as far as I know) the first in-service turboprop carrier aircraft.

Westland Wyvern

The Westland Wyvern was a British single-seater strike aircraft. It began life as a 'Torpedo Fighter', intended to operate as daylight fighter and torpedo bomber. Designed by John Digby, it was a large aircraft because of the large engine (24 cylinders) and the intention to fit a turboprop at a later date.

The first piston-engined Wyvern (TS371) took to the air on 12 Dec 1946 with Harold Penrose at the controls. It soon established a bad reputation, mainly due to problems with the engine and propeller. Only fifteen piston-engined Wyvern's were built.

Two turboprop engines soon became available, the Rolls-Royce Clyde and the Armstrong Siddeley Python A.S.P.3. The Clyde (rated at 4,030 HP with a potential for much more) was Westland's preferred engine and it fitted into prototype VP-120 successfully. But the engine never went into production because Rolls-Royce wished to focus on turbojet production.

So Westland was forced to use the older Python engine of 3,760 HP which provided a top speed of 616 kmh and a range of 1455 km. This engine gained a bad reputation, being unreliable and having a slow reaction time. These problems were never satisfactorily resolved and the aircraft became very unpopular with those who had to fly it, one test pilot even considered the Wyvern lethal.

Carrier trials began on 21 Jun 1950 and the aircraft entered service in May 1953. It was in service with the Fleet Air Arm from 1954 to 1958 when it was withdrawn from service. It saw action against Egyptian forces in 1956 during the Suez crisis, 830 squadron seems to have been the only one that made any combat flights, losing 2 aircraft in 79 sorties.

A later version, the TF.4 had numerous small changes. Martin-Baker Mk. 2B ejection seats were installed and the cockpit was reinforced. Later modifications included perforated dive brakes, a flat windscreen, and provision for tip tanks.

Total production: 127 Westland Wyvern's were made.

Armaments: 4x 20 mm cannon, eight rockets, and either three 450 kg bombs, a 825 kg mine or a 20-in torpedo.

More info:
csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi

[Robbo]

The survivor at Cobham Hall, Yeovilton in October 2007

[tom d. friedman]

the wyvern was a brute!! glad 1 survives!!

[b29flteng]

Back in 1968, I remember seeing the XF-88 sitting on a pole at the Bakersfield, CA. airport. I heard it's in a museum now?

[kenlyco]

Here's some others !

[Robbo]

A couple of the same 'planes a few years later

[tulsaboy]

What happened to that poor B-47? Talk about a disgrace! I'm sure that B-47 couldn't look its brothers in the eye.

kevin

[tom d. friedman]

that b-47 is blasphemy!!! ..... as to the french birds, it isn't hard to believe those lines!!

[sdennison]

Wow! How cool is that? They had dope then too!

Sir, you want to fly what?

[JDK]

Interesting selection. I'd not seen the B-47 with the go slower accessories before.

.... as to the french birds, it isn't hard to believe those lines!!

You mean those French birds that are, in fact, German? With a German flag on the tail?

Dornier Do 31 VTO transport.

(Don't worry Tom. Don't tell anyone, but I looked 'em up before posting, just in case. )

[tom d. friedman]

[Tailspin]

There were two B-47Bs converted to XB-47Ds as test beds to consider the possibility of a high speed, long range bomber. The program began in April, 1951 with a Curtiss-Wright T49 of 9,710 shaft horespower replacing the two inboard J-47 engines. The test program revealed that not much performance was gained, except the landing roll was shorted with the use of fully reversible props vs brake chute. The engines swung a 15 ft. diameter, 24 inch wide prop. It supposedly attained the highest speed for a prop driven aircraft in level flight (597 mph at 13,500 ft.).
Hugh

Source: B-47 Stratoject by J. Tegler