VSTOL world

[uk 75]

Perhaps more of a fantasy than a what-if as it requires altering some rules of aerodynamics and physics.
But imagine a world where the various VSTOL military and civil aircraft proposed from the 50s to the 80s had been built and introduced into service.
Air travel from city centre airports by Rotodyne, HS141 or Do231. Warships carrying Pogo or Nutcracker interceptors.
The Armee del'air with Coleopters or Mirage IIIV a Luftwaffe frontline with VJ101D and VAK191. RAF P1154 and HS681.
It is the VSTOL projects perhaps even more than the supersonic airliners or fighters that were tantalising glimpses of a future that never happened. Whether in artists impressions or models they still haunt us all these years later.
Add in the hovercraft or the hydrofoil as futuristic naval platforms and the daydream is complete.

 

[starviking]

I wonder if a bit more support of the Rotodyne could have kicked the whole thing off?

 

[zen]

Well had say a few more minor conflicts encompassed grounding Airforces by airfield destruction........

Back in the day a friend rather whimsically mused that a mountainous state might be more interested in V/STOL due to the precious nature of flat land.....

 

[Archibald]

I'm digging into John Frost Avro work in the mid-50's at Avro Canada: WS-606A and countless other projects.

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What Frost tried to do was pretty impressive. It amounted to a pretty radical redesign and rethinking of both jet engine and VSTOL supersonic aircraft. The so-called RFGT: Radial Flow Gas Turbine. A pity he couldn't pull it out. As too many people I only knew the truly ridiculous VZ-9 unstable saucer for the Army, 1961. But what they tried before (1953-1958) was truly impressive. Typical 1950's overambitious technological optimism and faith.

 

[royabulgaf]

Perhaps more of a fantasy than a what-if as it requires altering some rules of aerodynamics and physics.


You canna' change the laws o' physics! Montgomery Scott.

 

[uk 75]

In recent threads I have been a bit of a grouch about VSTOL and the Harrier in particular. So I thought I would go back to this thread where I wanted to explore the magic of the vertical world.
Anyone growing up in the sixties will remember the fascination of so many projects being touted to jump into the air and land on a postage stamp.
Artwork, drawings, models all showed a future in which anything that flew could take off and land vertically. Sharing this magic were ships which could ride over the waves on a cushion of air and then settle on land to unload.
Like Concorde Harrier was the only one of its breed to see service and was a beautiful aeroplane to watch. The clumsy F35 may be supersonic but it has none of the natural grace of a Harrier.
Growing up in those magical times was a privilege and a pleasure.