Michael_C opened this issue on Mar 08, 2023 ยท 10 posts
Michael_C posted Wed, 08 March 2023 at 3:23 PM
In the late 1950s Jack Frost, an engineer at aircraft manufacturer Avro Canada, developed an innovative design for a vertical-takeoff aircraft that he believed could attain supersonic flight. The U.S. Air Force contracted Avro to supply two saucer-shaped test vehicles to demonstrate Frost's concept. The U.S. Army was also interested, seeing the test vehicles as flying jeeps. In early testing the "Avrocar" proved to be very difficult to control, but after many modifications, stable flight was demonstrated. Unfortunately, its three jet engines were not powerful enough to raise the craft out of ground effect or achieve high speed, and the classified project was cancelled in 1961.
Here's the basic airframe. The jet engine exhaust spun a central turbo-rotor that drew air from above and directed it through various ducts to power and control flight.
Michael_C posted Fri, 10 March 2023 at 8:56 AM
Cutouts for the three engines, the observer and the pilot. The figure for scale is in the observer seat.The engines are spaced around the turborotor.
Michael_C posted Sat, 11 March 2023 at 10:15 AM
Closeup of an engine-
General overview of the upper surface. The engine covers include the intakes. The pilot station on the right is empty.
Michael_C posted Mon, 13 March 2023 at 8:03 AM
Here's a view of the cockpit and the untextured vehicle, now in Poser.
Michael_C posted Tue, 14 March 2023 at 2:39 PM
The engine covers and pilot and observer hatches open and there's a cargo compartment. These renders show a grill over the turbo-rotor rather than the vanes that were added later.
All the videos I've seen show the test configuration with out the canopied hatches and with roll bars.
Michael_C posted Thu, 16 March 2023 at 10:48 AM
Michael_C posted Sat, 18 March 2023 at 8:50 AM
Michael_C posted Mon, 20 March 2023 at 5:00 PM
Here's a view with the pilot and observer hatches, and one of the engine covers open.
This is a view of the cockpit with the saucer in test configuration with the hatches removed and roll bars installed. This is the configuration seen in the many videos of the Avrocar.
Michael_C posted Fri, 24 March 2023 at 12:42 PM
Here's a full "exploded" view with all the hinged panels open and the three auxiliary engine panels lifted.
The Avrocar never exceeded 3 feet or so in altitude but here's how if might have looked had it met its inventor's flight intentions.
Michael_C posted Fri, 31 March 2023 at 3:55 PM
Now in the Marketplace.
https://www.renderosity.com/marketplace/products/159106/vz-9-avrocar-flying-saucer
