Bell X-22A ducted-propellor VTOL

[hesham]

Hi,

we know Bell D-190 was air-sea-rescue vehicle also can
carry nine passenger,D-2005 was a ducted propeller VTOL
project and general similar D-2022 which was an Army version;

did the Bell D-2004,D-2020 and D-2021 relate to them or not?.

 

[Sundog]

According to Jay Miller's X-Planes, those were all precursors to the X-22A Demonstrator, although they were intended for production contracts. What's amazing is that as successful as the X-22A was, it didn't reach production.

 

[Andreas Parsch]

What's amazing is that as successful as the X-22A was, it didn't reach production.

This becomes less amazing when one considers that the X-22 was planned from the beginning as a pure research vehicle. At best, it would have been followed by a new ducted-fan design for an operational aircraft, but the X-22A itself was not primarily designed as such. Of course, this didn't stop Bell from proposing a whole lot of operational X-22 derivatives (who wouldn't ) , but it was effectively clear from the beginning that the X-22A itself was only a research plane.

 

[Sundog]

Hi Andreas,
I understand all of that, I just mean when you look at everything the military, government, and aerospace companies went through to get viable VTOL transport technology the X-22A was around a long time before the V-22 and it just seems to me they could have had it twenty years earlier using X-22A technology. Of course, they would have had to correct the landing gear problem for production

 

[hesham]

Thanks my dears,

also there were anther projects,but I don't know they were
related to D-190 or not;D-174,D-179,D-181 and D-182A/C.

 

[GTX]

Of course, this didn't stop Bell from proposing a whole lot of operational X-22 derivatives

Such as this:

Regards,

Greg

 

[yasotay]

I am hoping that someone can assist with finding information on flight operations and characteristics reports of the Bell X-22A four post ducted fan VTOL aircraft. I am surprised that as one of the longest flying experimental VTOL aircraft, I have been unable to find many reports on the operational characteristics of the aircraft. More accurately I have been unable to find information that does not require me to pay for a copy of the report, which frankly I would rather not do if possible.

If anyone has any ideas I would be very grateful for the assistance.

 

[Antonio]

http://www.amazon.com/X-Planes-X-1-X-45-3rd/dp/1857801091/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9864165-4711963?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180891898&sr=1-1

that's X-series Bible. You'll find X-22 comprehensive info here

 

[snurg]

I thought there may have been something at the NASA Technical Reports Server ( http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp ).

I did find this: AERODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUR-DUCT TANDEM VTOL-AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATIONS (at http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19630001970 ), and this:
Transition characteristics of a vtol aircraft powered by four ducted tandem propellors (http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19640007836).

There may be more; it's probably one of the best places to look.

As a (boring?) aside, I actually used to work with somebody who had been an engineer on this project. Interestingly, the Bell that built the X-22 is not quite the same Bell as the one that builds the V-22.

 

[yasotay]

Thanks Gents,

I keep my copy of X-Planes on the bookshelf right next to me. That has been the sole source of of information on the topic to date. I have been to the NASA Tech Report Server, but most of the reports have a price tag, unfortunately.

The two NASA documents though do have some great information. Thanks snurg!

The hunt continues!

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is a six possible powerplant layouts for Bell X-22,we can
consider them as a variants to it,


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201383.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201384.html

 

[Triton]

Model of Bell X-22A manufactured by Topping found on eBay.

URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/Topping-Bell-X-22A-Airplane-Manufacturers-Plane-Model_W0QQitemZ170529435762QQcategoryZ86954QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6102614725634814373

Description:

Original late 1950s vintage Topping model of the X-22A VSTOL aircraft.

Excellent/collector quality condition.

The model is made out of plastic. The stand is made from metal.

The nacelles pivot from forward to vertical.

The model measures 10 inches in length and 10 inches in wingspan.

 

[Orionblamblam]

No way is that going cheap...

 

[Caravellarella]

Dear Boys and Girls, here is an article in French about the Bell X-22A prototype. The article compared the design of this prototype to that of the SNCAN Nord 500 Helcade qv......

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2089.msg121319.html#msg121319

The article comes from the 15th June 1965 issue of Aviation Magazine International......

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[Stargazer]

One of my favorite programs EVER! Thanks for sharing.

No offense intended to our Belgian forumites, but the title "Aerospace Belgium" on the cover sounds a bit of a Belgian joke to my ears... ;D

 

[Caravellarella]

One of my favorite programs EVER! Thanks for sharing.

No offense intended to our Belgian forumites, but the title "Aerospace Belgium" on the cover sounds a bit of a Belgian joke to my ears... ;D

I know ; the issue has a BIG feature on the Belgian aircraft industry inside......

 

[Caravellarella]

One of my favorite programs EVER! Thanks for sharing.

Dear Stéphane, here is an artist's impression with details in French of the Bell X-22A (when it was still at the "project" stage) showing a rather neater-looking design (planned production version?) than the one actually flown......

The picture comes from the 15th June 1963 issue of Aviation Magazine......

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks Terry! You've gotta LOVE that fully-glazed cockpit!!! What an amazing design through and through.

 

[Caravellarella]

Thanks Terry! You've gotta LOVE that fully-glazed cockpit!!! What an amazing design through and through.

Prefer the SNCAN Nord 500 Helcade myself Stéphane. Maybe we should call this one the "Bellcade" ;D

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[Stargazer]

Prefer the SNCAN Nord 500 Helcade myself Stéphane. Maybe we should call this one the "Bellcade" ;D

Unless you're asking for an estocade... ;D ;D

 

[Caravellarella]

Prefer the SNCAN Nord 500 Helcade myself Stéphane. Maybe we should call this one the "Bellcade" ;D

Unless you're asking for an estocade... ;D ;D

Might just set off along the "Rocade" ;D ;D ;D

 

[Stargazer]

Prefer the SNCAN Nord 500 Helcade myself Stéphane. Maybe we should call this one the "Bellcade" ;D

Unless you're asking for an estocade... ;D ;D

Might just set off along the "Rocade" ;D ;D ;D

Hmm... I can tell this love you have for French aviation is more than a mere tocade... ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[Caravellarella]

Prefer the SNCAN Nord 500 Helcade myself Stéphane. Maybe we should call this one the "Bellcade" ;D

Unless you're asking for an estocade... ;D ;D

Might just set off along the "Rocade" ;D ;D ;D

Hmm... I can tell this love you have for French aviation is more than a mere tocade... ;D ;D ;D ;D

Cos I'm a tocard ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[AeroFranz]

You're having WAY too much fun, les francophones

 

[Caravellarella]

You're having WAY too much fun, les francophones

I'm not French!

 

[AeroFranz]

Hence the vague "Francophone" and not "Francais"!!! Not that it matters, but would Lebanese have been closer? i'm asking because of the flag on your avatar.

Regards,
Francesco

 

[Caravellarella]

No, just like the Air Liban logo ;D

 

[Caravellarella]

Dear Boys and Girls, here is a picture with a caption in French about the Bell X-22A prototype; stating that neither the Bell X-22A nor the (then) competing Ling-Temco-Vought XC-142A had received a production order to date......

The article comes from the 15th May 1969 issue of Aviation Magazine International......

Terry (Caravellarella)

 

[hesham]

Hi,


is there any good 3-view to those Bell X-22 variants,or early concepts ?.

 

[Stargazer]

Here are the X-22-related designs that I know of:

• D2005 assault transport for USMC, forerunner design of X-22 (summer 1959)D-2020 smaller corporative D-2022 derivative
• D2021A smaller corporative D-2022 derivativeD-2021B development of D-2001 two-seater tilt-rotor
• D2022 USMC VTOL Assault Transport System Requirement/US Army ASR 3-60 VTOL Transport System Study (formal proposal derivated from D-2005, 1960)
• D2064 military VTOL transport development of D-2022; joint design with Lockheed to meet TS-152 for a tri-service STOL
• D2064A improved version
• D2127 (became the X-22A)
• D2172 enlarged development of X-22
• D2239 ducted fan large transport aircraft
• D2240 ducted fan very large transport aircraft (also known as Model 2240)
• D2249 ducted fan medium aircraft
• D2250 ducted fan military aircraft
• D2251 ducted fan medium size military aircraft (3 configurations)
• D2332 armed X-22A proposal
• D2410 USAF Tactical Air Command VTOL aircraft
• D2424 X-22A test project (Naval Air Systems Command)

Unfortunately I don't have pictures for each of these. Check the D2022 and D2064 topic for images of these projects.

 

[Stargazer]

There was also a fake photo representing the second X-22A prototype with a stretched cockpit as the "X-22A-1":

 

[Stingray]

From the September '64 issue of Army Aviation Digest:

 

[Stingray]

April '63:

 

[VTOLicious]

Does anybody have a high resolution version of the cutaway attached?

Btw, I´ve found some rare X-22 video footage recently uploaded to U-tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CLxIebUejI

Thx, Michael

 

[AeroFranz]

If the cutaway is from Flight, you might be able to find a (possibly-not much) better copy on the Flight archives (flightglobal.com)

 

[Spook]

These are some photos which i found on net, As the Name States These photos are related to the Ground Support version of the X-22 ("AX-22"). :O)
http://up-ship.com/blog/?cat=13&paged=26

 

[Spook]

AX-22-2
http://up-ship.com/blog/?cat=13&paged=26

Another piece depicting a ground attack variant of the X-22. This time the changes are more involved, including a wholly new tandem cockpit. The turret is gone, but the trainable side guns remain. A substantial load of iron bombs is depicted.

 

[Spook]

AX-22-3
http://up-ship.com/blog/?cat=13&paged=26


Final piece of Bell artwork depicting a ground attack variant of the X-22. Similar in most respects to the previously shown design, it does feature a different weapons load… instead of bombs, it has a deployable pack of folding-fin rockets.

***Related to the 2nd Picture
A piece of artwork from the Bell archives showing a minimally-modified X-22 as a ground attack vehicle. The X-22 was surprisingly small, and if armed probably would have been capable of carrying much the same ordnance as the AH-1 Cobra.
It’s shown here with two trainable gun pods, an offset underside turret (looking not unlike the turret used on early Cobras) and a single deployable rocket pod.

 

[AeroFranz]

OBB's ears must be ringing...
At least Scott has the satisfaction of knowing people are reading his blog.

 

[SAustin16]

Good Morning to All,


Although an interesting and "cool" aircraft design, the X-22 was only a Bell R&D project and never went into production because the design was inherently dangerous. The aircraft was completely dependent on the ducted fans for lift. Where an airplane can glide, and a helicopter can auto-rotate in a power-failure emergency, the X-22 would simply fall out of the sky and kill everyone on board. The ducted fans could not auto-rotate. The pilot had no "Plan B".


Cheers from Texas