Military Power

The Bell XV-3 was the predecessor to the V-22 Osprey.

Did that one have as many problems as the Ospery? Also, on the same lines, does anyone know why the Marines get all of the deathtraps (Ospery, Harrier, ect)?

The Bell Model 200 (XV-3) programme was initiated in 1950 in response to a joint US Army and USAF initiative to investigate the convertiplane concept for possible US Army use. Proposals were received from Bell (Model 200), McDonnell (Model 82) and Sikorsky (Model 57) .These were given the designations of XH-33 (Later XV-3) , XH-35 (Later XV-1), and XH-36 (Later XV-2) respectively.

The first XV-3 prototype made its maiden vertical take off on 23 August 1955 and made a number of partial transitions until being damaged in an accident on 25 October 1956. The second prototype continued the programme , making a full transition on 18 December 1958, but after 100 further tests the aircraft was grounded in 1962 after the discovery of an instability problem.

By 1965 modifications allowed for the test programme to be resumed, although as far as I can establish the XV-3 would only make another 25 'flights' in a full size windtunnel.

Type Four seat convertiplane research aircraft

Powerplant: One Pratt and Whitney R-985 Wasp radial engine rated at 450 hp (336 KW)

Performance: maximum speed 180 mph (290 km/h) at 12,000 ft (3,660 m); initial climb rate 1,400 ft (427 m) per minute

Weights: empty 3,600 lb (1,633 kg); maximum take=off 4,800 l;b (2,177 kg)

Dimensions : wing span 31 ft 3.5 in (9.54 m); proproter diameter each 33 ft (10.06 m);length 30 ft 3.5 in (9.23 m); height 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m); proprotor disc area, total 1,710.60 sq ft ( 158.91 sq m); wing area 120 sq ft (11.15 sq m)

KnightTemplar wrote:The Bell XV-3 was the predecessor to the V-22 Osprey.

The XV-3 wasn't even the direct predecessor of the V-22 Osprey either.

There was at least one other tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Bell in between. This was the Bell Model 301 (XV-15) of which the first of two prototypes made its maiden flight on 3 May 1977, with the Second Prototype (April 1979) making a transition from vertical to horizontal flight in July 1979.

It was really from the success of the XV-15 programme that the V-22 Osprey owes its development.

(PS-One cannot consider the Osprey without also remembering the fate of the 1957 Fairey Rotadyne. An aircraft that everybody enthused about when it first made its appearance, but ultimately failed to win any Military or Civilian orders)

Hobilar wrote:(PS-One cannot consider the Osprey without also remembering the fate of the 1957 Fairey Rotadyne. An aircraft that everybody enthused about when it first made its appearance, but ultimately failed to win any Military or Civilian orders)

Not entirely sure that the comparison of the Rotadyne to the XV-3 or V-22 is truely 1 to 1 since the rotadyne wasn't a tilt-wing design (though the general VTOL via propellers and helicopter/Airplane hybrid concept were there)