italian vstol concepts of the twentieth century

Italian V/STOL Concepts of the Twentieth Century

Michael J. Hirschberg CENTRA Technology, Inc.

Arlington, Virginia

International V/STOL Historical Society (IVHS) www.vstol.org

AHS Forum 59STOVL Session

8 May 2003www.vstol.orgwww.vtol.org

IVHS

Thomas MüllerSalzmann BuchhandlungWaltershausen, Germany

Erasmo PiñeroLockheed MartinFt Worth, Texas

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www.vstol.orgwww.vtol.org

IVHSOverview

• Background• Fiat

– jet fighters– jet transports– compound helicopter

• Aerfer– transports

• SIAI-Marchetti– compound helicopter

• Agusta– compound helicopters– tiltrotors

• Summary

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IVHSBackground

• International V/STOL Historical Society (IVHS) formed to document and preserve V/STOL history

• This paper is the sixth in an ongoing series that will form the basis for the V/STOL Encyclopedia– Vol 1: German V/STOL Concepts

• German V/STOL Fighters - AIAA/AHS/SAE IPLC, Nov 2000 • German V/STOL Rotorcraft and Propellercraft - AHS Forum 57, May 2001• German V/STOL Transports - SAE WAC, Sep 2001

– Vol 2: French & Italian V/STOL Concepts• French Low-Speed V/STOL Concepts - AHS Forum 58, June 2002• French High-Speed V/STOL Concepts - AIAA/AHS/SAE IPLC, Nov 2002• Italian V/STOL Concepts - AHS Forum 59, May 2003

– Vol 3: UK V/STOL Concepts• Non-Harrier V/STOL Concepts at Hawker Kingston - SAE WAC, Sep 2003

– Future volumes in the planning stages• Check the web site for briefs from all of these papers:

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IVHSV/STOL Wheel of Mis-Fortune

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IVHS

24 MAY 63V

Curtiss-Wright X-100

Short SC.1

EWR VJ 101 CDornier Do 31

Lockheed XV-4B VFW VAK 191 BMcDonnell XV-1

Vanguard 2C Omniplane

Lockheed AH-56

Combined Power Plant for Hover

Augmented Power Plant for Hover

Separate Power Plant for Hover

Same PropulsionSystem for

Hover and ForwardFlight

Doak 16 VZ-4

Bell XV-3

Bell X-22A

Vertol 76 VZ-2

Hiller X-18 LTV-Hiller-Ryan XC-142

Transcendental 1G

Canadair CL-84

Bell XV-15

Bell 65 ATVRobertson VTOL

Ryan VZ-3

Bell X-14Hawker P.1127 Kestrel

Yakovlev Yak-36BAe / Boeing Harrier

Lockheed XFV-1

Convair XFY-1

Ryan X-13

SNECMA C450 Coléoptère

V

MAR 54

THV

T

3 MAY 77

24 JUL 77

THV

DEC 5420 JUL 55

25 FEB 58

6 JUL 54

V

V

V V

TH

AUG 5525 OCT 56

MAR 60

APR 60

20 NOV 63

18 DEC 58TH

VTH 25 JUN 64

25 AUG 65

8 AUG 66

MAR 66

H

TH

T

JUN 67

23 JUL 68 All flights tethered

29 DEC 64

29 MAY 81

VH

VNord 500 Cadet

VTH

7 JAN 58

13 APR 57 15 JUL 58

V

TH 24 NOV 59

8 JAN 1957Tethered Flight

H V

TH

11 JAN 6529 SEP 64

MAY 65

1959 Tethered Flights

17 FEB 57

21 JAN 59

V DEC 65

VFairchild 224 VZ-5

HFEB 60

1966

13 JUN 90

21 SEP 67Helicopter

Mode

1978Tethered Trials

H24 MAY 58

19 NOV 60

V T1957 V T

H

21 SEP 61

9 JAN 63

7 JUL 61

VTH AUG 66

V5 MAY 59

16 SEP 63TH

19 NOV 54

1955

VH

H T

VTH

AUG 54

1 AUG 54V2 NOV 54

10 DEC 55

28 MAY 56

2 APR 57

11 APR 57

V

6 APR 6018 MAR 63T

H 1 MAR 63

VDassault Mirage Balzac V

18 OCT 62

8 SEP 6527 JAN 64

H24 JUL 6512 FEB 65

25 OCT 582 OCT 63

V

TV

28 NOV 66MAR 66

Dassault Mirage III-VH T

VTH

10 APR 63 20 SEP 63

31 AUG 6314 SEP 64

H

T

V

HVT

22 NOV 67

16 DEC 6710 FEB 67

14 MAR 69 THV10 SEP 71

26 OCT 72

V

VTH 11 FEB 54

6 NOV 57VH10 APR 58

Fairey RotodyneYakovlev Yak-38

V T26 SEP 71 20 MAR 72

15 JAN 71HYakovlev Yak-141

29 DEC 89

8 NOV 63

17 MAY 61

T Lockheed XV-4A7 JUL 62HV

10 JUN 64

H 25 MAY 64 NOV 64

5 DEC 59Tethered Flight Rockwell XFV-12A

TJUN 64

APR 65 GE-Ryan XV-5AOCT 66

19641960

Kamov Ka-22 Vintokryl

FEB 62Helicopter Mode

Piasecki 16H-1

VTH

VTHVTH

12 MAR 69

5 OCT 91

Bell Boeing V-22TH

V 19 MAR 89

14 SEP 89

H 9 MAR 87

Curtiss-Wright X-19

1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 19851950 1990 1995 2000

V/STOL History: 1950 - 2000

Boeing X-32

Lockheed X-35

Bell Boeing V-22

BA609

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IVHS“The V/STOL Pyramid”Italy

• Harrier• ForgerOperational V/STOL Systems:

Flight Test:

Large-Scale Testing:

Design Concepts /Small-Scale Testing

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IVHSOverview






• Summary

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IVHSFiat G.95 Overview

• Early 1960s, NATO countries studied V/STOL as means of survival against Soviet nuclear attack

• Two NATO requirements released for V/STOL strike aircraft:– NATO Basic Military Requirement (NBMR) 3 for a large Mach 1.5+

nuclear penetrator (1961)– Vertikalstartendes Aufklärungs- und Kampfflugzeug (Vertical Take-off and

Landing Reconnaissance and Strike Aircraft) or VAK 191, for a smaller, Mach 1+ nuclear strike aircraft (1964)

• Fiat was also studying a replacement of the G.91, then in service with the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI - Italian Air Force)

• G.95 series V/STOL studies were started under the leadership of Professor Giuseppe Gabrielli

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IVHSFiat G.91/G.95 Family Tree

V/STOL concepts studied

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IVHSFiat G.95/3

• Lift + lift/cruise configuration– Two pairs of lift engines -- one pair forward and one pair aft of cg– Two lift/cruise engines with block & turn deflector nozzles at cg

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IVHSFiat G.95/6

• Fiat’s proposal for the NATO NBMR.3 requirement• Lift + cruise configuration

– six lift engines -- three forward and three aft of cg– two cruise engines (with remote augmentors)

• Max speed = Mach 2 • Larger fuel tanks in center fuselage for range

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IVHSFiat G.95/4

• Scaled down version of G.95/6 to meet VAK 191 requirement• Lift + cruise configuration

– 4 lift engines and 2 cruise engines

• Reconnaissance version had cameras in the nose, dubbed G.95/4A

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IVHSFiat G.95/4

Designation: Fiat G.95/4Cruise Engines: 2 x R-R/MAN R.B.153Cruise Thrust: 2 x 3,175 kg 2 x 7,000 lbLift Engines: 4 x R-R R.B. 162-31Lift Thrust: 4 x 2,495 kg 4 x 5,500 lbWingspan: 6.62 m 21.7 ftLength: 14.0 m 46 ftHeight: 4.6 m 15 ftSurface area: 14 m² 150 ft2

Empty weight: 3,800 kg 8,378 lbVTOL weight: 7,250 kg 16,000 lbRange 450 km 243 nmservice ceiling 10,000 m 33,000 ftVmax 1,200 km/h 650 ktVcruise 920 km/h 500 nmMax speed (on the deck): Mach 0.92Max speed (at altitude): Mach 1.2-1.4

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IVHSFiat V/STOL Test Rig

• Simulator for hover testing• 2 RB.108 lift engines• Suspended and free flights• Support of G.95/4 and VAK 191B

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IVHSVAK 191 Competition

• 1965 VAK competition for future NATO nuclear strike aircraft • Designs evaluated in VAK 191 competition:

– British Hawker P.1127 Kestrel - VAK 191A– German VFW 1262 - VAK 191B– German EWR 340 (VJ 101D) - VAK 191C– Italian Fiat G.95/4 - VAK 191D

• German VAK 191B selected as the winner

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IVHSFiat Involvement in VAK 191B

• Originally Italy had a 40% stake in the program

• Fiat major subcontractor– Work split on 60-40 basis

between VFW and Fiat• Italy withdrew in 1967

– Fiat remained a partner• Two-seat trainer planned

but cancelled in 1966

Wings at Turin Tail and cockpit at Turin

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IVHSGerman-Italian VAK 191B

• 3 aircraft flown during flight test program from 1970-75• Change in NATO strategy (flexible response) refocused project as

experimental V/STOL technology demonstrator in 1966• Many V/STOL and other advanced aircraft technologies, such as

fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control systems, were successfully demonstrated and incorporated on MRCA Tornado

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IVHSFiat (now Alenia) G.222

• G.222 CTOL Transport– First flight 1971– Over 100 aircraft delivered– Still in production– Used by 12 air forces worldwide – USAF C-27 Spartan

• Began as a V/STOL Transport– lift engines added to turboprop

nacelles for lift + cruise – 1962 V/STOL Transport NBMR.4

• G.222 series studies under Professor Giuseppe Gabrielli– Begun in 1961– AMI contract awarded 1963

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IVHSFiat G.222 - 1963

• 40 troops, 24 stretchers or 3 trucks• Six RB.162-31 lift engines with

5,500 lb thrust each– two lift engine doors each side

• 2 Rolls-Royce Dart 10 turboprops• Lift engine compressor bleed air

used for V/STOL attitude controlDesignation: Fiat G.222 “Cervino” (1963) Cruise Engines: 2 x R-R Dart 10 Cruise Power: 2x 2,255 kW 2x 3,025 eshp Lift Engines: 6 x R-R R.B. 162-31 Lift Thrust: 6 x 2,495 kg 6 x 5,500 lb Wingspan: 18.10 m 59.1 ft Length: 19.20 m 62.3 ft Maximum payload: 4,100 kg 9,040 lb Cruise speed 400 km/h 215 kt VTOL weight: 12,700 kg 28,000 lb STOL weight: 16,000 kg 35,000 lb Range, max wt (STOL): 1,200 km 650 nm

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IVHSFiat G.222 - 1964• Military & Civil variants

– pressurized fuselage– 13% longer wingspan

• Six RB.162-31 lift engines with 5,500 lb thrust each– three lift engine doors each side

• 2 Rolls-Royce Dart 12 turboprops• Lift fans for attitude control

– two at each wing tip and the tail

Designation: Fiat G.222 (1964)Cruise Engines: 2 x R-R Dart 12Lift Engines: 6 x R-R R.B. 162-31Lift Thrust: 6 x 2,495 kg 6 x 5,500 lbWingspan: 20.42 m 67.0 ftLength: 20.88 m 68.5 ftSTOL weight: 17,500 kg 38,580 lbCTOL weight: 21,000 kg 46,300 lb

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• Five distinct versions – V/STOL + CTOL + convertible

military transports; CTOL civil transport/airliner; CTOL ASW

• Eight RB.162-31 lift engines with 5,500 lb thrust each– two lift engine doors each side

• 2 Rolls-Royce Dart 25 turboprops• Lift engine compressor bleed air

used for V/STOL attitude controlDesignation: Fiat G.222 (1965)Cruise Engines: 2 x R-R Dart 25Lift Engines: 8 x R-R R.B. 162-31Lift Thrust: 2,495 kg 5,500 lbWingspan: 23.50 m 77.1 ftLength: 21.50 m 70.5 ftEmpty weight: 11,938 kg 26,320 lbGross weight: 18,750 kg 41,335 lb

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• Engine nacelles key to versions– Payload bays for CTOL ASW– 8 lift engines for VTOL– 4 lift engines for STOL– 0 lift engines for CTOL

• streamlined nacelles for more efficient cruise

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• Fiat awarded a contract by Italian MOD in 1966 to build two CTOL prototypes

• NBMR.4 largely forgotten– planned conversion to V/STOL

configuration dropped• First flight 1970• Service entry in 1976• 1961: 28,000 lb V/STOL transport• 1976: 61,000 lb CTOL transport

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IVHS

Fiat G.95/61961 NBMR.3 RequirementMach 2 Nuclear Penetrator

Fiat G.95/41964 VAK 191 Requirement

Mach 1 Nuclear Strike

Fiat G.2221962 NBMR.4 Requirement V/STOL Tactical Transport

Fiat Jet V/STOL Summary• All based on NATO requirements• None were built• Shift in NATO strategy to flexible response required more robust

capabilities than the point solutions offered by these VTOL designs

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IVHSFiat 7005 (1965)

• Previous Fiat helo experience– Fiat 7002 reaction rotor was built

in 1961– Design/manufacture of Super

Frelon transmission gears

• 7005 begun as high-speed compound design– Allison 250 turboshaft– 27.5 ft rotor; 4 ft propeller

• Vectoring vane box– vanes could vector 37º– vane box pivoted addition 33º– total vector of 70º for counter

torque and yaw control

• Never built

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IVHSOverview






• Summary

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IVHSAerfer V/STOL ProjectsAE-130 notional sketch• AE-130 stowed rotor project

– begun 1955– two blade rotor - 66 ft diameter– 26-30 passenger commuter aircraft

• BAC 224 V/STOL– collaboration with BAC– designed to meet NBMR.4 – 2 Bristol Pegasus 5 engines

(Kestrel/Harrier) at wing roots – 4 RR lift engines at each wing tip– 78,500 lb gross weight– similar to Do.31 demonstrator

• Project 2102– AMI RFP in 1962 for NBMR.4– RB.162 lift engines in wing pods – GE CF-700/2B turbofan on tail – Gross weight 38,000 lb

• Fiat merged with Aerfer in 1969– G.222 already being built– Aerfer V/STOL work stopped

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IVHSOverview






• Summary

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IVHSSIAI-Marchetti SV-20C

• Previous helo experience– SH-4 helicopter built in 1965 with

Silvercraft• Created a Vertical Flight Division

in 1968 under Dr. Emilio Bianchi• July 1968 began development of a

14 seat, twin engine, compound• Design goals:

– 8,820 lb (4000 kg) gross weight– Less than 2000 kg empty weight– Cruise speed of 210 kt

• Continued weight growth (to 10,000 lb) caused end of project

• Prototype was never built• Company acquired by Agusta

Full-scale mock-up

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IVHSOverview






• Summary

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IVHSAgusta

• Founded in 1907• First Bell 47 license in 1952• First indigenous helicopter design in 1958 - A101G• Several other prototypes built - A102, A103, A104, A105, A106• Began looking at compound designs for higher speed flight

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IVHSAgusta A110

• Studied during 1961-1965• Derivative of A101G• Similar fuselage to A101G with

similar 5 blade rotor• Two turboprops for cruise• Expected to reach 500 km/hr

(270 kt ) • Transport for 35 troops• Loading ramp in rear• Wing tips folded down for water

landings??

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IVHSAgusta A110

• Alternative design • Different fuselage with 4 blade

rotor system• Two turboprops for cruise• No anti-torque rotor• Similar wing tips folds

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IVHSAgusta A118

• 1961 Agusta design for NATO NBMR.4 competition

• Similar in concept to Soviet Kamov Ka-22 Vintokryl design

• Each wing tip had a compound unit– large 4-blade rotor– tractor propeller– three engines

• Loading ramp in rear

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IVHSAgusta A119

• 1961 Agusta design for NATO NBMR.4 competiton• Quad tiltrotor concept

– front rotors tilted up for lift - tractor proprotor for cruise– rear rotors tilted down for lift - pusher proprotor for cruise– two turboshaft engines on either side

• Clamshell doors and loading ramp in rear

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IVHSAgusta A120 Elibus

• 1968 design for a 65 pax high-speed commercial compound

• Six-blade rotor + two tractor propellers• Three interconnected GE T64 turboshafts

– one with each propeller and one under rotor

• Planned to operate between city center heliports or to remote locales

Designation: Agusta A120B ElibusDiameter main rotor 22.0 m 72.2 ftDiameter tail rotor 4.87 m 16.0 ftDiameter propeller 3.70 m 12.1 ftMaximum length 26.20 m 86 ftWing span 17.20 m 56.4 ftEmpty weight 14,200 kg 31,306 lbNormal gross weight 23,500 kg 51,809 lbMaximum speed 425 km/hr 230 ktCruise speed 388 km/hr 210 ktOGE Hover ceiling 1800 m 6,000 ftIGE Hover ceiling 3000 m 10,000 ft

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IVHSAgusta A123

• 1969 design for a 14-17 pax high-speed compound – Medevac, transport or attack– hook loads up to 8,300 lb

• Four-blade rotor + one pusher prop• Two Lycoming T53 turboshafts

Designation: Agusta A123Diameter main rotor 14.5 m 47.6 ftDiameter tail rotor 2.80 m 9.2 ftDiameter propeller 2.80 m 9.2 ftMaximum length 17.65 m 57.9 ftWing span 8.00 m 26.2 ftEmpty weight 3,720 kg 8,200 lbNormal gross weight 6,804 kg 15,000 lbGross weight for hook 7,484 kg 16,500 lbMaximum speed 417 km/hr 225 ktCruise speed 400 km/hr 216 ktRange (tanks, no reserve) 580 km 313 nmOGE Hover ceiling 3,000 m 9,850 ftIGE Hover ceiling 3,800 m 12,500 ft

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IVHSEUROFAR Tilt Rotor StudiesAgusta & Eurocopter

• Joint studies begun in 1986• European Future Advanced Rotorcraft (Eurofar) started Sept 1987 • Germany, France and Italy provided funds

– to create a tiltrotor design for 30 pax, 14 ton commuter– determine feasibility

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IVHSEUROFAR Tilt RotorAgusta & Eurocopter

• Addressed critical topics:– choice of the most suitable rotor,

wing, nacelle / drive train / engine design features

– rotor aerodynamic and dynamic design, air vehicle control laws, and structures

– experimental activities conducted

• Model n.2 Rotor tested in ONERA S1 in early 1990s– full investigation of helicopter

and aircraft mode (to Mach 0.53) including transition corridor

– full-scale rotor and blade tested– designed and built by Agusta

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IVHS2GETHER?

• Eurocopter pursued their EUROTILT concept, very similar to the EUROFAR design, and proposed it for European Commission funding

• Agusta proposed ERICA concept for EC funding• Neither concept was funded• Eurocopter and Agusta made a joint proposal in 2001

– called the 2nd Generation European Tilting Highly Efficient Rotorcraft (2GETHER)

– proposed EUROTILT and ERICA as alternate solutions– this proposal was also rejected

• Later, four Critical Technology Projects were funded to analyze the most critical aspects of tiltrotors– Agusta ERICA tiltrotor concept was selected as the study configuration

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IVHSAgusta ERICA Tiltrotor

• After EUROFAR divergence, Agusta initiated a follow-on project called Enhanced Rotorcraft Innovative Concept Achievement (ERICA)

• Led by Santino Pancotti (AHS 2002 Nikolsky Award winner)• Goal is to form the basis for a 2nd generation tiltrotor using

lessons learned from EUROFAR and BA609 projects, adding innovative technologies

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IVHSAgusta ERICA Tiltrotor

• Outer wing panels tilt with the rotors

• Proprotors are small enough for STOL operations and are more efficient in cruise

Designation: AgustaWestland ERICAEngines: 2 x P&WC PW127E turboshaftPower: 2x 2,400 shp 2x 1800 kWPassengers (VTOL): 19 + 2 crewPassengers (STOL): 22 + 2 crewWingspan: 46 ft 14 mLength: 50 ft 15.2 mProprotor Diameter: 24 ft 7.4 mMax VTOL Useful Load: 4,189 lb 1,900 kgMax STOL Useful Load: 4,840 lb 2,200 kgVTOL Gross Weight: 22,000 lb 10,000 kgSTOL Gross Weight: 24,200 lb 11,000 kgEmpty Weight: 14,300 lb 6,500 kgFuel Weight (VTOL): 3080 lb 1,400 kgFuel Weight (STOL): 4,400 lb 2,000 kgRange: 650 nm 1,200 kmCruise altitude: 24,600 ft 7,500 mVmax (at cruise): 350 kt 650 km/h

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IVHSBell Agusta BA609

• Agusta also partner for 609 civil tiltrotor – Bell announced in 1996– Agusta formally joined the team in 1998– First flight in March 2003– Over 85 orders already – FAA certification planned for in January 2007

Full-scale mock-up - Farnborough 1998

Designation: Bell/Agusta BA609Engines: 2 x P&WC PT6C-67A turboshaftPassengers: 6 to 9 pax + 1-2 crewEngine Power: 2 x 1,940 shp 2 x 1,450 kWWingspan: 33.8 ft 10.3 mLength: 46 ft 14.0 mHeight: 15 ft 4.5 mProprotor Diameter: 26 ft 7.9 mMax Useful Load: 5,500 lb 2,500 kgMax Gross Weight: 16,000 lb 6,974 kgRange: 750 nm 1,389 kmService ceiling: 25,000 ft 11,364 mVmax (at cruise): 275 kt 509 km/h

First flight - 7 March 2003

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IVHSOverview






• Summary

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IVHSSummary• Two dozen different Italian V/STOL concepts documented

– Most were design studies only– Some component testing– Limited V/STOL flight testing– None were tested extensively

• The BA609 promises to become the first (co-)production Italian V/STOL aircraft

Operational V/STOL Systems:

Flight Test:

Large-Scale Testing:

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IVHSAcknowledgements

• This paper could not have been completed without the generous assistance of numerous individuals

• Agusta– Santino Pancotti– Marzio Preatoni– Valentina Giuliani– Pietro Alli– Bruno Lovera (retired)

• Alenia– L. Chesta

• IVHS Artist (for A118, A119 and AE-130) – Jens Baganz

italian vstol concepts of the twentieth century

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