Vought V-533, V-538, V-539, V-541 'Eaglet' NGT designs

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

I photographed this model of the Vought/VFW submission for the T-37 replacement [Vought V-538 - Added by Admin] while visiting/volunteering with the Vought Retiree's Club, keepers of the Vought historical archives. Anyone have info on other submissions?

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Jemiba]

It was a development of the RFB Fantrainer, called "Fantrainer 400" and
proposed in 1979. As the short article from FlugRevue 10/1979 shows,
another version with side-by-side seating was considered, too.

 

[boxkite]

Greetings All -

I photographed this model of the Vought/VFW submission for the T-37 replacement while visiting/volunteering with the Vought Retiree's Club, keepers of the Vought historical archives. Anyone have info on other submissions?

Enjoy the Day! Mark

Can anyone confirm the designation Vought V-539 for this display model?

 

[hesham]

Hi,

anther concept for Vought/VFW NGT aircraft.
http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1980/1980%20-%202744.html?search=vfw%20AIRCRAFT%201982

 

[hesham]

By the way,

the first aircraft for Vought/VFW called V.538 and the second
called V.541.
http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1980/1980%20-%201302.html?search=vought%20ngt%201980

 

[richard]

By the way,the first aircraft for Vought/VFW called V.538 and the second
called V.541.

In " Luftfahrt International " 1/81, H.J Meier wrote about the LTV/VFW/RFB entry to NGT contest :

- the one fan entry is the V-538
- the two fan entry is an early V-539 design
- the definitive proposal is the V-539 design shown in the 3-views
(2xPT6-34 ,weight 2320 kg ,wing area 17.45m2)

 

[richard]

Something goes wrong with my pics : here they are !

 

[richard]

And the text :


In " Luftfahrt International " 1/81, H.J Meier wrote about the LTV/VFW/RFB entry to NGT contest :

- the one fan entry is the V-538
- the two fan entry is an early V-539 design
- the definitive proposal is the V-539 design shown in the 3-views
(2xPT6-34 ,weight 2320 kg ,wing area 17.45m2)

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Vought Eaglet NGT.

Source:
Roy Braybrook, Military Training Aircraft of Today (Foulis 1987)

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

Here's a few drawings from the Vought Archives of the V-539.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

...and a few pics which my friend Fred Harl took of V-539 models in the Vought Archives collection.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Bill S]

Vought's Eaglet with small fan ducts

Vought Heritage Collection

 

[Bill S]

And large fan ducts

Vought Heritage Collection

 

[Stargazer]

Splendid. I'm still trying to find the difference between the V-538 and V-541 proposals. They are supposed to be pretty similar, but all the pics I've seen so far seem to show either the V-538 or the V-539 proposal. The only pic labeled "V-541" is most probably mislabelled as the picture seems to depict a V-538.

Could anyone here shed some light on this question? Thanks.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

V-541 is described as "high-wing". No posted images are high wing.

 

[Triton]

Vought/VFW NGT (Next Generation Trainer) concept artwork lithograph found on eBay.

[link no longer active]

 

[Orionblamblam]

FWIW:

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Thanks Triton - I put a bid in on it along with some of the other Vought prints they have offered. Stay tuned...

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Bill S]

Here are some slides from a 25AUG80 presentation "Vought's USAF Next Generation Trainer Studies"
credit Vought Heritage


Here are a cutaway and a background showing progression to the Eaglet.




bill

 

[Bill S]

Here are some slides from a 25AUG80 presentation "Vought's USAF Next Generation Trainer Studies"credit Vought Heritage


This time T-37B Deficiencies
USAF NGT Design Requirements
Summary of Characteristics
and V-538 Performance with Allison and P&W Engines.


bill

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks a lot Bill! The presence of the V-533 design (similar configuration to the T-37B) called for a renaming of the topic.

Instead of mentioning "V-533 / V-538 / V-539 / V-541" in the title I opted to leave only the name Eaglet since it was officially given by Vought.

Interestingly the very same name also circulated at the time for the Fairchild FRC-225, which "won" the competition as the T-46A. Perhaps the Air Force, not the companies, originated the name of a small eagle to evoke an advanced trainer preceding the F-15 Eagle in the pilot's progression? Just a thought

 

[hesham]

Hi,


from JP4 magazine,here is a 3-view to Vought V-538 NGT aircraft project.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

V-539 pic


Source:


Luftfart International Jan 1981

 

[Bill S]

Nothing really new to add as far as information.
These are better scans/color scans of information previously presented.


bill

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

A larger image of one posted by Bill S earlier on...

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Stargazer]

Super pictures, Bill and Mark. Thanks a lot!

 

[allysonca]

I was lucky to win this on E-bay as in over 40 years of collecting the Vought Eaglet had eluded me. It had issues big time. Painted in trainer white, the paint was bubbling and chipping, and it was a very poorly executed example of the usually good Vought model shop models. I decided to redo and decided on the attack version. The only thing to finish is the wood stand this weekend....... Enjoy.

 

[allysonca]

All done with a new base and ID plate. Name plate was done with my Laser printer with clear decal paper and rendered in photoshop......... I like it.........

 

[hesham]

Wow,good work Allysonca.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Nicely done - love that display case full of models too!

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[allysonca]

Sadly the display case is at the Vought Company and not the Vought (house).... sigh..........

 

[Bill S]

Here is a recently found drawing of the V-539 from early May 1980, that is slightly
different than other drawings in this thread. The intakes are in the wing leading
edges and the "strakes" around the fans. The length is a little shorter than other iterations as well.

 

[hesham]

Nice find my dear Bill.

 

[Bill S]

Something new for the conversation is this mid-wing twin boom gull winged Eaglet!
It also shows provisions for under-wing fuel tanks or stores.

This would make a great WHIF modeling project.

bill

 

[hesham]

Great find my dear Bill,

always Vought used L12 designation;

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6564.0.html

 

[Bill S]

I think your asking if L12 was an always used designation for the Eaglet, no it was not.
L12 was a prefix for Advance Products drawing numbers, nothing to do with the model number of the design.
There are L12-XX-XXXX drawings for the A-7 and a number of different projects including the Eaglet.

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Bill.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Nice find Bill - thanks!! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

With a big thanks to Bill S for acting as the courier, some drawings from the Vought archives of various iterations of the Eaglet and Mini Eaglet.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

And a few more.... Mark