Vought ADAM and ADAM II V/STOL projects

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Scott has (re)posted some ADAM stuff here : http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=100 including this VTOL ADAM fighter

 

[Triton]

Re: LTV AX-VSTOL concept print circa 1968

That's an ADAM design.

Would this mean that LTV submitted the ADAM (Air Deflection and Modulation) design for the AX competition based on the information printed on the art print?

 

[Orionblamblam]

Re: LTV AX-VSTOL concept print circa 1968

That certainly seems to be the case. ADAM systems seemed to work best for subsonic designs, and when used in STOL applications they could probably carry a dumptruck full of ordnance.

 

[Triton]

LTV AX/VSTOL concept artwork lithograph painted by RG Flores circa 1968 found on eBa.

URL:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AX-VSTOL-CONCEPT-JET-1968-LTV-AEROSPACE-CORP-LITHOGRAPH-RG-FLORES/251083369902?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=015&category=158435&cmd=ViewItem

 

[Orionblamblam]

FWIW:

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Bought! Nice one


Will need some serious image processing like some of the other Vought artwork due to heavily textured paper.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

A recent EPay buy included these three prints.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[bigvlada]

That strike aircraft configuration is such a slick and beautiful design.

 

[The Artist]

I believe this is an ADAM related windtunnel model. It is displayed with no information on it provided.

 

[Bill S]

I believe this is an ADAM related windtunnel model. It is displayed with no information on it provided.

Nice find!


bill

 

[Bill S]

A trio of ADAM type models
Vought Archive.


bill

 

[The Artist]

I believe this is an ADAM related windtunnel model. It is displayed with no information on it provided.

Nice find!


bill

My thanks to you, Dick Atkins and the rest of the gang there for letting us come in and look around. And, this item was more something noticed than found. I'm glad no one complained when I moved it from where it was to a display case where it shouldn't be able to hurt anybody. That thing could break a foot if it was knocked off the ledge it had been on.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

A few more model photos from the Vought Collection not previously posted.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[The Artist]

I'm sure most here have realized this fact already but I'm posting this for those who haven't thought about it.

Many of these Vought photographs were taken to provide the artists with starting points for the paintings and line drawings. (I had the same intent with a number of the photos I took of the models last week.)

 

[The Artist]

Another ADAM concept model in the archive. Not happy pictures but they do offer views of parts not usually seen.

 

[Stargazer]

Interesting. It would seem from the filenames that the later variant with vertical fin (entered in the AX competition) was called ADAM III.

 

[Barrington Bond]

From a Tech journal (J. Aircraft March-April 1970) "ADAM III is the current version of a turbofan propulsive wing V/STOL concept which has been evolving during the past 10 years as a consequence of studies, tests, and contacts with potential users."

Regards,
Barry

 

[hesham]

From

THE ADAM 111 V/STOL CONCEPT
by BYRON R. WINBORN, JR.
LTV Aerospace Corporation
Dallas, Texas

From NASA;
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19730017270_1973017270.pdf

 

[Stargazer]

This is not "Adam 111", but Adam III.

I guess some of the old typewriters didn't make a difference between the number "1" and the capital "I"...

 

[famvburg]

Actually, many older ones didn't have the numeral 1 and a lower case L (l) was used in its place, (or a 0 (zero) and upper case O (oh) used in its place which, hmm, may expalin why when people speak phone numbers, etc., they use "oh" instead of "zero") so most likely, it's a confusion by someone not understanding Roman numerals. Kinda like misunderstanding proper use of apostrophes and decimal points for cents or other simple grammar issues I guess. Look around on eBay and see how many WWII items are listed as WW11.




No "1" key on the typewriter!

 

[hesham]

Very strange,


we displayed that aircraft before as it was Goodyear design,but from that French site,
the aircraft was Vought ADAM project !?.


http://aerostories.free.fr/dossiers/ADAV/page7.html

 

[Stargazer]

Definitely not. This is clearly a mistake in allocating the correct caption to the correct image. This happened in magazines sometimes, perhaps it was so in the magazine that they scanned?

 

[airrocket]

I think Burt Rutan was aware of this design......spaceship 1 looks a lot like it.....?

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

First ADAM design I have seen with a name attached to it - The Persuader...

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

...and one with with a V# - V-468

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Maveric]

Fantastic find Mark, many thanks :-* :-* :-*

 

[Stargazer]

Superb finds, Mark! Thanks a lot for your efforts!

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

...and one with with a V# - V-468

Enjoy the Day! Mark

V-468 - 1963 Army reconnaissance aircraft

 

[hesham]

Excellent Mark,thank you for sharing us.

 

[circle-5]

Vought ADAM III "Persuader" factory model, ca. 1968. I don't know the V-model number for this one, but maybe someone does ...

 

[Avimimus]

Out of curiosity - does anyone know why these concepts failed?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Vought ADAM III "Persuader" factory model, ca. 1968. I don't know the V-model number for this one, but maybe someone does ...

Its the June 1968 revision of the ADAM III concept. I don't believe it had a V number.


Here's some drawings of the ADAM III, the gas ducting drawing is for the May 1968 version, essentially identical but with the hover fan in the extreme nose rather than behind the cockpit. I think this is one illustration of why the ADAM concept failed.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Conventional Vought A/X study was V-502-11.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Source:



THE ADAM III V/STOL CONCEPT
by BYRON R. WINBORN, JR.
LTV Aerospace Corporation
Dallas, Texas

Small V/STOL Strike-Recce Airplane
A small ADAM III high-subsonic strike-recce airplane
is shown in Fig. 7. The two gas generators are mounted in the
wing roots with nearly straight inlets. Two forward-facing
fans are installed in each wing. A large vertical axis pitch
fan is located in the fuselage immediately behind the pilot,
The efflux of the pitch fan is discharged through two rectangular
nozzles in the underside of the fuselage. The major
axes of these nozzles are in the longitudinal direction in order
to minimize suck-down effects.
The hot gas ducting system which conveys the hot gas
from the gas generators to the power turbines is shown in
Fig. 8. Actually, two independent hot gas duct systems are
used, with each gas generator supplying hot compressed gas
to part of the periphery of each power turbine.
Each boom and outboard tail comprise an integral structure.
A trailing-edge elevon is used for flight control. Directional
stability and control are provided by a conventional vertical
tail mounted on the centerline of the fuselage. The main

landing gear is mounted under the wing, retracting into the
fairings behind the gas generators. The nose gear is conventional,
ret racting aft into the space between the two pitch
fan nozzles.
No fans, ducts, shafts, or landing gear are located forward
of the pilot's seat bulkhead. The front end of the airplane
can be configured so as to best meet user requirements. A
large amount of space is available in the fuselage forward
and aft of the center of gravity for fuel and other useful load.
Large external tanks may be carried under the outboard
boom tails. Most of the underside of the fuselage is available
for user purposes.
The VTOL downwash velocity is high enough to require
moderate site preparation. The various nozzles are arranged,
however, so that there is virtually no chance of heating the
ground appreciably. Likewise, there is no danger that hot
propulsive flows will be reingested unless the airplane is
hovered in a tail wind.
With the dual hot gas duct system, either gas generator
may be started or shut down at any time on the ground or in
flight, intentionally or otherwise, without requiring readjustment
of the other gas generator. The airplane will fly in the
cruise mode and make conventional landings with either gas
generator or either hot gas duct completely inoperative.
With loss of a gas generator or hot gas duct in the hover mode,
thrust will remain symmetrical, and the airplane will remain
controllable in a retarded descent.
All hot gas components are located aft of all wing primary
structure, so that it becomes possible to protect the primary
structure from any hot gas leak.
The transition process is continuous, and is similar to gradually
raising or deflecting the flaps in a conventional airplane.
Activation of the pitch fan is not sensitive and may be accomplished
over a wide range of flight conditions.
The useful load is approximately 43% of the VTO gross
weight under tropical day, sea level conditions. For STO
operation, the useful load may be increased to approximately
53% of the takeoff gross weight. These values are predicated
upon the use of conventional rather than exotic structural
materials.

 

[hesham]

Nice Info my dear Paul.

 

[circle-5]

Thank you Paul Overscan. Great info!

 

[hesham]

Hi,


also from ADAM III V/STOL concept file;

AIAA Aerospace Research Central

 

[Bill S]

Here is a two view of the V-468 ADAM II from the VAHF collection

 

[Bill S]

Some ADAM II Sketches showing evolution A to F.
VAHF Collection

 

[circle-5]

Thank you Bill -- very helpful !