CLIPPED WINGS

The History ofAborted Aircraft

Prototypes

By David R Townend

AeroFile

INTRODUCTION

This book is designed to explore 85 aircraft prototypes that have failed to go into production from 1945 until present day. It is a chronicle of these aircraft, and explores the development of the aircraft, their histories and the reasons for their demise.

The book is arranged by aircraft role, and features aircraft of the following types: Fighters; Bombers; Airliners; Jet Flying Boats; VTOL; Helicopters; Flying

Wings; Mixed-Power Interceptors; Un-Winning Competitors; and Developments. In addition, two Appendices are included at the end of the work – one dealing with aircraft projects that went as far as the mock-up stage, but were not built, and another detailing the aircraft included in the book that are preserved today.

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INTRODUCTION

Clipped Wings – The History of Abortive Aircraft Prototypes arranges each of the aircraft chronologically within the sections by the first flight date of each aircraft. Each aircraft listing features the following sections: History; Summary; Disposition and Specifications.

The History section is the main body of the listing, and details the aircraft’s development from its inception and design, the contracts (if any) and up through the building of the prototype(s) and the first flight. The details of the flight testing is also described here, and the events that led to the aircraft’s cancellation.

In the Summary section, the reasons for the aircraft's cancellation are described in more detail and theories are also put forth. This section may also describe the aircraft’s designations and/or names, as well as any related technology or other aircraft that were the result of the featured aircraft’s development.

The next section is Disposition, and this details the aircraft’s history after cancellation. Each aircraft that was built – or, in some cases, almost completed – is chronicled, and its final whereabouts (if known) is displayed. This section also details each of the aircraft’s serial numbers and/or constructor numbers, where known.

The final section is Specifications. Here, the aircraft’s dimensions, powerplant, crew, passengers (if any), armament (if any) and performance are listed. As a standard, imperial measurements are used throughout. Where multiple types of aircraft were built, the designation and type is listed, as is the particular aircraft listed.

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CONTENTS

FIGHTERSMcDonnell XF-85 GoblinDouglas A2D-1 SkysharkGrumman XF10F-1 JaguarAvro Canada CF-105 ArrowSukhoi T-4Israel Aircraft Industries Lavi

BOMBERSDouglas XB-42 Mixmaster & XB-43Martin XB-51Tupolev Tu-80 & Tu-85Short S.A.4 SperrinTupolev Tu-91 “Boot”Tupolev Tu-98 “Backfin”Myasishchyev M-50 “Bounder”North American XB-70 ValkyrieBAC TSR.2

AIRLINERSAvro Canada C102 JetlinerBristol BrabazonSaunders-Roe SR.45 PrincessFairey Rotodyne

JET FLYING BOATSSaunders-Roe SR.A/1Beriev R-1Convair F2Y-1 Sea DartMartin P6M SeaMasterBeriev Be-10 “Mallow”

VTOLLockheed XFV-1 SalmonConvair XFY-1 PogoLTV-Hiller-Ryan XC-142ACanadair CL-84 DynavertDornier Do 31VFW-Fokker VAK 191B

HELICOPTERSMcDonnell XHJD-1 WhirlawayCierva W.11 Air HorseHughes XH-17Piasecki YH-16 Transporter

Westland WestminsterKamov Ka-22 VintokrylBell 207 Sioux ScoutLockheed AH-56A CheyenneMil Mi-12 (V-12) “Homer”Sikorsky S-67 BlackhawkBoeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

FLYING WINGSCanCar-Burnelli CBY-3 LoadmasterNorthrop XP-79Northrop XB-35 & YB-49Vought XF5U-1 “Flying Pancake”

MIXED-POWER INTERCEPTORSConvair XP-81Curtiss XF15C-1Republic XF-91 ThunderceptorSud-Ouest SO.9000 Trident & SO.9050 Trident IISud-Aviation SE.212 DurandalSaunders-Roe SR.53

UN-WINNING COMPETITORSConvair XB-46Martin XB-48Curtiss XF-87 BlackhawkLockheed XF-90North American YF-93AConvair YB-60Northrop YA-9Northrop YF-17 CobraBoeing-Vertol YUH-61ABell YAH-63Boeing YC-14 & McDonnell DouglasYC-15Northrop-McDonnell Douglas YF-23Black Widow IIBoeing X-32

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

DEVELOPMENTSBell XP-83Ryan XF2R-1 Dark SharkBlackburn Y.A.1 Firecrest Convair XC-99Fairchild XC-120 Pack-PlaneRepublic XF-84H ThunderscreechDouglas F5D-1 SkylancerNorth American YF-107AVought XF8U-3 Crusader IIILockheed YF-12AMikoyan MiG-21PD & 23-01Sukhoi T-58VDDassault Mirage G8Bell 309 KingcobraGeneral Dynamics F-16XLNorthrop F-20A Tigershark

CONTENTS

CREDITS

Clipped WingsThe History of Aborted Aircraft Prototypes

By David R Townend

Published by AeroFile Publications101 Mercer Cres

Markham, Ontario© 2007

ISBN 978-0-9732020-4-5Soft Cover, 300 Pages, 100 B&W photos

Research:Allan Janus, Archives Reference Desk, National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C.; Terry Aitkin, Senior Curator at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio; Steve Maxham, Director of the United States Army Aviation Museum, Fort Rucker, Alabama; David Payne, General Manger of the Quonset Air

Museum, Rhode Island; Stan Piet, Archive Director, Glenn L Martin Maryland Aviation Museum; James Floyd (Avro Canada); Nes Dobson (CanCar)

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