Tag: R&D aircraft

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USAF Museum Completes Restoration of Only Remaining Kellett XR-8 [Video]

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio has completed restoration of the world’s only surviving Kellett XR-8 experimental helicopter after countless hours of work by talented volunteers.

Developed as a prototype for the USAAF in 1940s, the Kellett XR-8 tested the idea of stabilizing a helicopter by using dual offset horizontal rotors to eliminate the need to power a tail rotor. Nicknamed “Eggbeater,” the design used two intermeshing wooden propellers above the two person cabin. The XR-8 first flew on August 7, 1944. Though the XR-8 was a revolutionary design, the Kellett Aircraft Corporation encountered significant problems with stability control and timing the rotors. The company modified the vertical stabilizers in an attempt to resolve some of these issues. Because of these and other complications, Kellett only produced two XR-8s before cancelling the program.

An official photo shoot was carried out on Monday. Plans call for the machine to be placed by the Vertijet in the museum’s R&D Gallery this October. The fabric covering on the left side of the fuselage has been removed to showcase interior views.

Check out a video showing the restoration process and final product below.

Continue reading USAF Museum Completes Restoration of Only Remaining Kellett XR-8 [Video]

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New Book Shows Iconic XB-70 Valkyrie In All Its Glory

Coming soon from Air World and author Graham M Simons is North American XB-70 Valkyrie in Pictures: America’s Cold War Mach 3 Nuclear Bomber. The book explores the full story of the development of this legendary supersonic bomber using a unique collection of images. It also reveals the many challenges that the North American engineers faced, particularly with regards to engines and fuel, all of which are fully explained. In addition, it boasts first-hand testimony and analyses the accidents and incidents the aircraft were involved in, as well as a detailed timetable allowing the reader to comprehend the XB-70’s protracted history.

Flying at 70,000 feet, carrying nuclear weapons at Mach 3+ for thousands of miles, the North American Aviation XB-70 Valkyrie was not merely going to redefine military aviation, but the very nature of warfare itself. The XB-70 flew so fast and so high it would only appear on radar screens for a fleeting moment, making it impossible for enemy controllers to direct their interceptors to the target before it flew out of range. When it was first designed in the 1950s, the enemy, meaning at the time the Soviet Union, had no aircraft that could match the XB-70’s capabilities, rendering it almost invulnerable. But, just as the US was developing its technologies, so too were the Soviets. The introduction of their first surface-to-air missiles led to the US adopting low-level missions to sneak under radar. This effectively neutralised the XB-70’s main characteristics and, ultimately, the programme, which had cost the United States a staggering $800 million, the equivalent to $8.4 billion in modern terms, was cancelled.

The 256 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release slated for June 30.

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