Various Bell ducted-fan VTOL projects

Jemiba

Jemiba

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Here's a page from Aviation Week 1965 9-17, showing a test rig, the X-22
tail assembly and an artist's impression of the D-2240 civil ducted fan VSTOL.
 

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Two other ducted fan designs, although in the case of the left picture, the
manufacturer isn't even mentioned explicitly. And again, no designations were
given in the FlugWelt-60-II, so I don't know, if the are part of pometablavas
list . :(
 

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Thanks my dears Jemiba and pometablava,

great find my dear Jemiba,and that means Doak Model-22 and Model-23
projects, is that right ?.
 
Attention please, "Bild 22" and "Bild 23" are just numbers of the illustrations in that magazine,
NOT type designations ! And only for the picture on the right-hand side the origin of the
design is given explpicitly as Bell-Doak ...
 
Sorry my dear Jemiba,

I missunderstand for Doak company,that is because we don't know
more about this company,only three design (Doak-16,DRD-1 two
seat trainer and Doak-Deeds Sportsman single seat biplane).
 
Since we are discussing ducted fans, I am putting these pictures here on the chance that someone might know more about the concept. I believe it is a German concept, although I have no idea if it belonged to one of the mainstream aircraft companies. About all I can tell is it is a four post ducted fan aircraft, that appears to be for light transportation or rescue work.
 

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Jemiba said:
Two other ducted fan designs, although in the case of the left picture, the
manufacturer isn't even mentioned explicitly.
Click to expand...

My guesses:
Left design: "Ducted Fan Transport Design:
Right design: D-181... maybe D-190
 

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Stargazer2006 said:
The table given by Hesham above mentions a US program designated "D-2240". It is described as having "4 turboprop engines with propellers in circular channels". At first one would think of another derivative of the Bell X-22 (D-2127, a program which also spawned projects such as the D-2020/2022 or D-2064). But then Douglas also had a similar project on the shelf... at the same time... and their D- series was also in the 2000 range at the time... (a picture of the said project is shown below). So what do you think? Does the chart describe a Bell or a Douglas project?
Click to expand...

I found this in my scrap files and I'm not sure where it came from as no title or date are presented along the top or bottom margins. The image is part of a full page ad and the ad text reads as follows.

New generation V/STOL coming up

The Bell X-22A Tri-Service V/STOL features a capability that opens the door to many new and commercial applications. As a transport aircraft of the future, it will provide air service to congested metropolitan centers as well as to remote areas without airports. This dual tandem ducted fan V/STOL configuration will carry passengers and cargo into and out of isolated areas and rugged terrain efficiently and with a minimum landing site. The high cruising speed and hovering ability of this craft will commend it for a variety of air missions including rescue, observation, anti-submarine warfare and countless others. Once again Bell vision and research are contributing significantly to the advance of the air and space age.
 

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Thanks, Artist! I believe the Bell 2240 mystery eventually got solved with the same picture from the same article in a separate topic, but thanks anyway.
 
Artist's impression of Bell Ducted Fan Transport.

Source:
Keith-Lucas, D. "Vertical Take-Off Aircraft: Some Problems of Design" New Scientist May 29, 1958 p. 59.
 

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Dear Boys and Girls, here is a picture with a caption in French of the Bell D-182A twin-boom tilt-duct VTOL aircraft "project"......

The picture comes from the 4th July 1959 issue of Les Ailes......

Terry (Caravellarella)
 

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Dear Boys and Girls, here is a picture with a caption in French of the Bell D-181 tilt-duct VTOL transport aircraft "project"......

The picture comes from the 23rd May 1959 issue of Les Ailes......

Terry (Caravellarella)
 

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Artwork showing the D-182A:
 

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Re: Bell Aerosystems 2240 concept photo

I've always wondered why nothing ever came of the X-22s. They seemed to work fine. (I could swear somebody here explained why but I can't find it for the life of me.)
 

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Last edited:

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Superb find! Intriguing, but I have to wonder what the downwash/outwash would have been like? Probably desent SSTOL charecteristics though.
 
Boom!

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-001 15 May 1956 - Summary Report

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/102022.pdf
Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-002 15 May 1956 - Design Report

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-003 15 May 1956 - Survey of the state of the art

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-004 15 May 1956 - Performance

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-005 15 May 1956 - Stability and Control

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-006 15 May 1956 - Duct and Propeller Analysis

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-007 15 May 1956 - Preliminary Structural Analysis

Bell Ducted Propeller Assault Transport Report D181-945-008 15 May 1956 - Standard Aircraft Characteristics

[edit - added link to Standard Aircraft Characteristics]
 
From this report.
 

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