Bell X-22A ducted-propellor VTOL

[Jemiba]

... The ducted fans could not auto-rotate. The pilot had no "Plan B".

That's right, but that's imminent to more or less ALL designs with ducted fans, like, for example,
the Nord 500 and derivatives, or several Hiller designs and, at least for take-off and landing for
the Coleopters, too. AFAIK, all those designs were multi-engined and the fans were driven via
cross-coupled shafts, so at least the failue of an engine, not necessarily had fatal results. The
failure of the gear box, or a fan of course would have, but if you look at the helicopter, it's more
or less the same, I think, with regards to safety.

 

[mil]

before flying X-22A

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Hi All -

A Bell X-22 display model on EPay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bell-X-22A-Orignal-Mfg-Desktop-Model-Scarce-/380600120582?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item589d88f506

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Jemiba]

From "Der Flieger", January 1964, two quite blurry pictures (due to the small size),
one showing it in the well known form, taking off from a carrier, the other with
a solid nosed ASW version (fitted with a MAD sting ?).

 

[GTX]

Interesting addition.

 

[sferrin]

before flying X-22A

Heh, that could almost have been as Syd Mead shot.

 

[Grey Havoc]

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a104137.pdf

 

[Michel Van]

Why was X-22 never taken as TRI-VTOL aircraft ?
Was there unsolvable technical problem ?
or was X-22 victim of many R&D program, concept proved X-project ends ?

 

[Jemiba]

Why was X-22 never taken as TRI-VTOL aircraft ?

AFAIK, at least the second prototype was tested by all three armed service branches.

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

Why was X-22 never taken as TRI-VTOL aircraft ?
Was there unsolvable technical problem ?
or was X-22 victim of many R&D program, concept proved X-project ends ?

Vought won the Tri-Service competition for a five-aircraft prototype program with the XC-142 but the Navy thought that Bell's ducted-fan concept might better suit its mission requirements, which resulted in the X-22 program. Similarly, the Air Force separately funded the Curtiss-Wright X-19. Both were subscale demonstrators as opposed to the operationally sized XC-142. Depending on who is telling the story, all the programs disappointed from a performance standpoint or the Vietnam War began to suck funds from experimental and development programs with longer term potential. However, the fact that the only operational VTOL aircraft (Harrier/F-35B and V-22) are not too far from the extremes of disc-loading (pure jet versus conventional helicopter) suggests that the tilt wing, ducted propeller, tilt-propeller, etc. concepts that fall in the middle of the disc-loading range are not fast or cruise-efficient enough to offset their lack of hover efficiency/capability.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

Courtesy of the Gerald Balzer Collection, a better scan of the Flight International cutaway. I have some X-22A photos yet to scan and will post those later.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[GTX]

Thanks Mark - one of my favourite aircraft! Looking forward to the photos.

 

[AeroFranz]

Gorgeous - thanks!

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

Here are the photos, courtesy of the Gerald Balzer Collection.

Note the first two are of BuNO 151521, all others are of 151520. I would assume 151520 flew first but was damaged in a hard landing after a double hydraulic failure and was not rebuilt. 151521 flew the majority of the test program.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[sferrin]

Thanks Mark - one of my favourite aircraft! Looking forward to the photos.

x2. I wonder how a configuration like this would perform on the FPV racing scene.

 

[VTOLicious]

Thx for sharing those great pictures!

Here is an article from the AW-archives:

BR Michael

 

[yasotay]

My thanks as well for the wonderful pictures of one of my all time favorite aircraft.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Thanks to Mark Nankivil, a report on the X-22A.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/X-22AReport.pdf

 

[TomcatViP]

deleted

 

[asiscan]

If you ever wanted to build your very own X-22A cockpit, and I hope you do, these might help (from Bell Aerosystems X-22A flight manual). Enjoy..

 

[asiscan]

I forgot to mention the DIGITROLS of the right hand console were for configuring the Variable Stability System so the aircraft could evaluate various VSTOL configurations.

 

[Pioneer]

From "Der Flieger", January 1964, two quite blurry pictures (due to the small size),
one showing it in the well known form, taking off from a carrier, the other with
a solid nosed ASW version (fitted with a MAD sting ?).

In relation to the ASW version of X-22 Jemiba, I just stumbled across the following:

Regards
Pioneer