UNUSUAL AIRCRAFT DESIGNS THAT ACTUALLY TOOK FLIGHT

By Minahil


Co founder of airplane Wilbur Wright said “It is possible to fly without motors, but not without
knowledge and skill’. The words of Wilbur Wright can be confirmed by some examples in the
history like The Vought V-173, NASA’s Oblique Wing Aircraft, The Edgley Optica, and The
Northrop Tacit Blue.

What if I told you there was once an airplane that looked like a pancake- and it
flew?

The Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake"

Vought V-173 “flying pancake” | National Air and Space Museum (NASM)

In 1942, Charles Zimmerman came up with a pancake-shaped aircraft that took flight and
marked its place in history. The Vought V-173 was built during World War 2 and took its flight
on 23 November 1942. This aircraft was retired on 15 March 1947 and further developed
into Vought XF5U. Note that there is only one Vought V-173 made until now.

Charles H. Zimmerman by NASA (NASA)

Charles H. "Charlie" Zimmerman (1908–1996) was an innovative aeronautical engineer
known for designing revolutionary aircraft and flight research facilities. He played a key role
in developing unconventional aircraft, like the Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake," and made
significant contributions to the fields of stability, control, and VTOL aircraft. Zimmerman's
work also helped stimulate early NACA research on spaceflight, and he later participated in
NASA's Project Mercury

The first version, known as the V-173 (Flying Pancake), had a traditional, totally symmetrical
aerofoil shape and was constructed out of canvas and wood (NACA 0015). The original
design V-173, intended as a "proof-of-concept" prototype, was constructed as a lightweight
test model driven by two 80 hp (60 kW) Continental A-80 engines spinning F4U Corsair
propellers. were later outfitted with two 16 ft 6 in. three-bladed propellers that had been
particularly modified. Its short tailwheel and tall, fixed main gear created the aircraft's 22°
"nose-high" aspect.

What made V-173 so unique?


Vought V-173 design was unusual and resembled a pancake. It features an unorthodox ‘all
wing’ design consisting of a flat disk-shaped body serving as the lifting surface. Two piston
engines are located in the body drove propellers located on the leading edge. Charles
Zimmerman explained the unusual design by saying that drag would be minimized by
placing the propeller at the wing tip. By maintaining a uniform flow over the entire span, he
believed it could take off at exceptionally low speed and still have good high-speed
performance.

flying pancake

Structure and Design (RCM&E Home Of Model Flying Forums )

The propellers were arranged to rotate in the opposite direction to the tip vortices, allowing
the aircraft to fly with a much smaller wing area. The small wing provided high
maneuverability with greater structural strength. The empennage was composed of two
elevator/trim surfaces on either side of the centerline on the trailing edge of the wing
planform, two vertical fins with rudders, and all-moving stabilizers with anti-servo tabs.

General characteristics of V-173

  • Crew: One, pilot

  • Length: 26 ft 8 in (8.128 m)

  • Wingspan: 23 ft 4 in (7.1 m)

  • Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.51 m)

  • Wing area: 427 sq ft (44.2 m2)

  • Gross weight: 2,258 lb (1,024 kg)


The V-173, a proof-of-concept vehicle, had a symmetrical NACA airfoil section and a circular
wing with a diameter of 23.3 feet. The whole aircraft was enveloped in the slipstreams of its
massive three-bladed prop, which was fixed at the tip of each airfoil. The wing/fuselage had
a complicated empennage that included two rudders, two massive elevators on the midway
of the fuselage, and two normal-looking horizontal stabilizers and elevators. It was
discovered that it could be managed successfully throughout a 139-hour test program
despite having peculiar flying characteristics and control reactions. It could nearly hover and
made many forced landings, including one when it nose-covered, without causing any
significant harm to the aircraft or the pilot.


Performance

  • Maximum speed: 138 mph (222 km/h, 120 km)

  • Climb time to 5,000 ft (1,500 m): 7 min


Glossary:


1. VTOL: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft that can take off and land vertically
without relying on the runway.
2. Drag: An aerodynamic force that opposes an aircraft's motion through the air.
3. Empennage: the tail section of the aircraft.
4. Fuselage: main body of the aircraft.


Sep 18, 2024