Verticraft Verticar - Wingless VTOL Transport Aircraft with Airfoil Fuselage

[jzichek]

Check out this article at RetroMechanix.com on the Verticraft Verticar, a wingless VTOL aircraft with an airfoil-shaped fuselage submitted to the Navy in connection with the Tri-Service Assault Transport competition of 1961:

The accompanying gallery features several high resolution photos and drawings of both the single and two-duct versions of the Verticar.

-Jared

 

[Stargazer]

Amazing! Never heard of it before. Thanks!

 

[shedofdread]

How interesting! Many thanks for posting. At least we all now know where the inspiration for the Urban Aero Mule comes from....

On a slightly more serious note, I've seen two UAVs (including the Mule) that work on this principle so it could well have flown.

 

[Grey Havoc]

[Whistles]

 

[Firebee]

Any significance to the square root symbol marking on the side?

 

[jzichek]

I assume the marking stands for Verticraft or Verticar.


I'm surprised there aren't more photos and articles on this vehicle out there; seems like the ideal sort of subject for a Popular Mechanics article. Plenty of other unworkable flying car and VTOL concepts were featured in the popular aviation and science magazines of the day. Perhaps it was such an embarrassment that Krivka (President of Verticraft and presumably the designer) didn't bother to publicize it.

 

[Stargazer]

Perhaps it was such an embarrassment that Krivka (President of Verticraft and presumably the designer) didn't bother to publicize it.

Not just that. I think that so many concepts were floating around at the time that PopMech and others especially focused on those that were at a prototype stage, which obviously wasn't the case here since it's a wooden mockup.

 

[Kryptid]

This is quite an interesting design; fuselage and wing all in one. Too bad such low-aspect ratio wings tend to have worse lift-induced drag than standard wings. Of course, I wonder if combining the wing and fuselage together like that would help compensate for the drag increase?

 

[Orionblamblam]

Its roll characteristics would have been... interesting.

 

[AAAdrone]

Its roll characteristics would have been... interesting.

Regarding roll characteristics: How would it have rolled? The article only talks about a series of vanes and a rudder/elevator hybrid used for pitch and yaw control, but no roll.

 

[Orionblamblam]

How would it have rolled?

Looking at the diagrams, there seems to be absolutely no mechanism to cause this thing to roll at low speed or during hover. This would seem to be something of an oversight.

Plus, in picture six it appears to have automobile steering wheels.

 

[shedofdread]

If one looks at the 'Air Jeep', how to control such a vehicle is understood. From the lack of mechanism on the drawings, one presumes that cyclic pitch is being used for roll and differential collective for pitch (as is, I believe in the case of the Air Jeep). As to yaw (in the hover), 'pass' - I'd use vanes but they all seem to be orientated in the wrong axis for that *shrugs*.

From my experience, such vehicles CAN be made to work but whether this one did...? Pass (again)

 

[Nik]

That 'wing' might benefit from end-plates, and I imagine some exhaust / high-pressure air might be ducted to puffer-ports per Harrier...


Otherwise, yes, it is merely a plywood 'concept' model on castors, like the pretty cars that used to appear with gull-wing doors and a glossy paint-job but no room for boring stuff like suspension travel or {cough} muffler...

 

[Orionblamblam]

one presumes that cyclic pitch is being used for roll and differential collective for pitch (as is, I believe in the case of the Air Jeep).

While that might work, the basic idea gives me an uncomfortableness. I'm unclear just how much, and how precise, control authority that would provide while in hover. Shrug,

 

[shedofdread]

One aspect of the design that does concern me is the square transition from the vertical sides to the upper surfaces. If this area is designed correctly ('bell-mouth' style intake curved out and faired into the fuselage), the inflow to the fans can assist significantly with the lift generated.

Yes, from the diagrams, the ducts appear reasonably good but a more sophisticated fuselage design would help greatly. I've never measured a figure this high but theory (NASA paper IIRC) would suggest an extra 20% of lift can be realised from good intake lip design.