VTOL concepts - Short Bros 1958

[Schneiderman]

Two illustrations from a paper on vertical take-off aircraft written by David Keith-Lucas, Technical Director of Short Bros, in 1958. Although captioned as hypothetical they probably give some insight into Short's thinking on vertical take-off aircraft in the mid 1950s

 

[hesham]

Also;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4084632/Nuclear-powered-jetliners-vertical-airports-passenger-planes-reaching-6-000mph-predictions-experts-1966-air-travel-2016.html

 

[Schneiderman]

An online version of the source article is here

https://www.aerosociety.com/news/visions-of-the-future/

It shows that when attempting to predict the future being an expert in the subject is often of little benefit. Guesswork by the uninformed would be just as good in many cases.

Not sure the hypothetical VTOL aircraft is associated with Keith-Lucas, we would need to see the original captions to the pictures in the Dec 2016 issue of Aerospace Magazine.

 

[hesham]

I have this issue,but I can't find it now.

 

[Schneiderman]

I find it amazing that in 1966 a few people in the aircraft industry, including Keith-Lucas, still believed that there was a future for nuclear-powered aircraft.

 

[hesham]

Unfortunately I found October 2016 issue,still search.

 

[hesham]

How come,the Canberra VTOL is as in this topic,a real project ?!;

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/ee-canberra-evolution-variants-and-projects.726/#post-33273

 

[TsrJoe]

I have the VTOL. Canberra noted as Short/EE. P.47 ?