Vought Track Air Cushion Vehicle

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

Some non aircraft/missile drawings from the Vought Archives of a proposed TACV - Track Air Cushion Vehicle. Apparently there as a model similar to this design shown at Transpo '72.

An article on the similar (but built) Rohr TACV is at: https://sites.google.com/site/rohraerotrain/

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[GTX]

Wow! That's looks like something straight out of a scifi movie.

 

[Orionblamblam]

I know it has been done multiple times, but jet engines on ground vehicles never fails to set off my "that ain't right" alarm.

 

[Silencer1]

I know it has been done multiple times, but jet engines on ground vehicles never fails to set off my "that ain't right" alarm.

How about this "ground vehicle"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThrustSSC
B)

 

[fredymac]

Vaguely reminiscent of this.

 

[GTX]

Vaguely reminiscent of this.

Exactly.

 

[Michel Van]

Vaguely reminiscent of this.

but instead of Lockheed Terrastar wheels,

Vought Track Air Cushion Vehicle is build for dual use
once traditional rails and concrete monorail like French Aerotrain
Ceci est juste un exemple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il2wMe6Hwz8

 

[Orionblamblam]

How about this "ground vehicle"?

Not street legal.

 

[Grey Havoc]

A small bit of info on the Rohr UTACV can be found over in the
French Aerotrain thread.

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/xuoqww

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/xuoqww/the_rohr_aerotrain_something_my_dad_helped_design/

rohraerotrain

Rohr Industries, Inc.'s Aerotrain prototype built in Chula Vista, California (ca. 1973). John Driscoll was a mechanical engineer for the project. NOTE: The raised track in the background was used to demonstrate Rohr's ROMAG vehicles to businesses. It was showcased at Transpo '72. This is the story

sites.google.com

The rohraerotrain site also includes info on the other two primary HSGT contractors as of 1971:

Also in 1968, the UMTA began asking for bids from various aerospace companies around the world to build high-speed vehicles for the U.S. All sorts of companies had an aerospace division in the late 1960's. Especially in the U.S., which was working on sending astronauts to the moon of all places. So of course Rohr knew it had the right vehicle for the UMTA contract and thus put in its bid for it.

In 1969, Westinghouse Electric Corp. was doing studies investigating the power needs for 300 mph tracked air-cushion vehicles, 250 mph linear induction motor-driven rail vehicles, 250 mph wheel-driven vehicles, and 200 mph wheel-driven rail vehicles. Areas of study were on power systems, power distribution, power collection, and power conditioning.

Eventually in 1971, the UTMA selected three aerospace companies as candidates for a new high-speed ground transportation (HSGT) system to solve the future's traffic problem:

• Garrett Corp.
• Grumman Aerospace Corp.
• Rohr Industries, Inc.