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Rockwell XFV-12

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XFV-12
XFV-12A on ramp at NAA in Columbus, Ohio
Role VTOLfighter
Manufacturer Rockwell International
Status Cancelled (1981)
Primary user United States Navy
Number built 1

TheRockwell XFV-12was a prototype supersonicUnited States Navyfighter which was built in 1977. The XFV-12 design attempted to combine theMach 2speed andAIM-7 Sparrowarmament of theMcDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIin aVTOL(vertical takeoff and landing) fighter for the smallSea Control Shipwhich was under study at the time. On paper, it looked superior to the subsonicHawker Siddeley Harrierattack fighter. However, it was unable to demonstrate an untethered vertical takeoff and its inability to meet performance requirements resulted in the program's termination.

Design and development[edit]

The XFV-12A aircraft mounted for tethered hover flights on Langley Impact Dynamics Research Facility.
XFV-12A mockup at the North American plant, Columbus, Ohio, ca. 1973.

In 1972, the Navy issued arequest for proposalsfor a next generation supersonic V/STOL fighter/attack aircraft. Rockwell's design with the XFV-12 won againstConvair's proposal with theConvair Model 200.[1]The XFV-12A, despite its concept being considered risky compared to that of the Harrier, was selected for development.[2]

To reduce costs, the nose from theDouglas A-4 Skyhawkand intakes from the F-4 were used. Engine rig testing began in 1974.[3][permanent dead link]Free-flight model tests conducted at theNASA Langleyfull-scale wind tunnel showed the projected thrust augmentation levels were highly optimistic, and that the aircraft would most likely be incapable of vertical flight on the thrust available, while the design remained suitable for conventional flight.[2]

The XFV-12 used athrust augmented wingconcept[3]in which exhaust would be directed through spaces in a wing opened up likevenetian blindsto increase available lift, somewhat like Lockheed's unsuccessfulXV-4 Hummingbird.Such arrangement restricted weapons carriage to under the narrow fuselage and two conformal missile mounts. Itscanardswere extremely large, almost 50% of the area of the wings, making it effectively atandem wing.The 30,000 lbf (130 kN)-class afterburningturbofanengine was modified to provide enough thrust to lift the weight of the 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) aircraft. Some of these modifications included closing the rear engine exhaust and redirecting gases through ducts to ejector nozzles in the wings andcanardsfor vertical lift.

Operational history[edit]

Ground testing of the XFV-12A began in July 1977, and the aircraft was officially rolled out at the Rockwell International facility inColumbus, Ohioon 26 August.[2]Due to increasing costs, construction of the second prototype was abandoned.[2]

Tethered hover tests were conducted in 1978.[2]Over the course of six months, it was determined that the XFV-12A design suffered from major deficiencies with regard to vertical flight, especially a lack of sufficient vertical thrust.[2]Lab tests showed 55% thrust augmentation should be expected; however, differences in the scaled-up system dropped augmentation levels to 19% for the wing and a mere 6% in the canard.[2]While the augmenters did work as expected, the extensive ducting of the propulsion system degraded thrust, and in the end thepower-to-weight ratiowas such that the engine was capable of vertically lifting only 75% of the weight of the aircraft in which it was mounted.[2]

Following the tests, and with the program suffering from cost overruns, the Navy decided the XFV-12A was not worth further development, and cancelled the project in 1981.[2]The October 6, 1975 issue ofAviation Weekpublished an article about the Rockwell NA-382 which was an even more ambitious proposal to the Marine Corps to fit a similar wing to theLockheed C-130 Hercules,but the plan never made it off the drawing board.[4]

Of the two prototypes built, only one was completed, while the second prototype was cancelled.[5]

TheUnited States Marine Corpseventually adopted the subsonic British-designed Harrier, the only truly successfulV/STOLdesign of the 1960s.

Surviving aircraft[edit]

Following program cancellation, the aircraft was disassembled and the cockpit section of the fuselage was stored at NASA'sPlum Brook Stationin Sandusky, Ohio. As of May 2012, a group of high school students at theEHOVE Career Center,with guidance from NASA contractor personnel, were to restore the fuselage for use as a museum display.[6][7][needs update]

Specifications[edit]

Data fromJane's All the World's Aircraft 1979–80,[8]Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81[9]

General characteristics

  • Crew:1
  • Length:43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)
  • Wingspan:28 ft 6.25 in (8.6932 m)
  • Height:10 ft 4 in (3.15 m)
  • Wing area:293 sq ft (27.2 m2)
  • Empty weight:13,800 lb (6,260 kg)
  • Gross weight:19,500 lb (8,845 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight:24,250 lb (11,000 kg)
  • Fuel capacity:2,763 L (730 US gal; 608 imp gal) in two fuselage bladder tanks and two integral wing tanks
  • Powerplant:1 ×Pratt & Whitney F401-PW-400afterburning turbofanengine, 30,000 lbf (130 kN) with afterburner

Performance

  • Maximum speed:Mach 2.2-2.4
  • Thrust/weight:1.5 (conventional)
  • Take-off run:300 ft (91 m) at 24,250 lb (11,000 kg)

Armament

See also[edit]

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References[edit]

Notes
  1. ^Convair Advanced Designs II, Robert E Bradly, Special PressISBN978-0-8597917-0-0
  2. ^abcdefghi"GlobalSecurity.org".XFV-12.Retrieved13 January2007.
  3. ^ab"Historic Aircraft by Airborne Unlimited".Rockwell XFV-12.Retrieved21 June2010.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^Schneider, Charles E. (6 October 1975)."Rockwell Proposes Vtol C-130 Version".Aviation Week.United States.Retrieved29 October2021.
  5. ^Willis, 2006, p. 65
  6. ^"NASA Ask the Academy Young Professional Brief -- Maciej Zborowski".NASA.28 October 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 31 July 2021.Retrieved31 July2021.
  7. ^Payerchin, Richard (28 May 2012)."NASA, EHOVE students team up to restore jet".The Morning Journal.Lorain, Ohio.Archivedfrom the original on 31 July 2021.Retrieved31 July2021.
  8. ^Taylor, John W.R.; Munson, Kenneth, eds. (1979).Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1979–80(69th ed.). London: Jane's Yearbooks.ISBN978-0531039151.
  9. ^Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1980).Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81(71st ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Co. p. 430.ISBN0-7106-0705-9.
Bibliography

External links[edit]

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