Sikorsky XV-2

American VTOL aircraft proposal

XV-2

Role	Stoppable rotor aircraft Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft
Status	Canceled
Number built	0

The Sikorsky XV-2, also known by the Sikorsky Aircraft model number S-57, was a planned experimental stoppable rotor aircraft, designated as a convertiplane, developed for a joint research program between the United States Air Force and the United States Army. The program was canceled before construction of the prototype began.

Design and development

The XV-2 was developed as part of a joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army program intended to explore technologies to develop an aircraft that could take off and land like a helicopter but fly at faster airspeeds, similar to a conventional airplane. The XV-2's stoppable-rotor design was intended to allow it to hover and fly at low speed like a conventional helicopter. It utilized a single-blade single-rotor design; a counterweight provided stability to the rotor system,^[1] while a tip-jet arrangement powered the rotor, which retracted into the upper fuselage when stopped, the XV-2 then flying like a conventional aircraft on delta wings.^[2] A single jet engine was provided for forward flight, and was to be equipped with thrust vectoring for steering in hover and for anti-torque control in lieu of a tail rotor.^[3]

The XV-2 prototype was assigned the serial number 53-4403, but the project was cancelled before construction could begin.^[4]

References

Citations

^ Boyne 1984, p.178.
^ Sikorsky 2007, p.84.
^ Allen 1993, p.4-5.
^ Pearcy 1993, p.103.

Bibliography

Allen, Francis J. (Spring 1993). "The McDonnell XV-1". AAHS Journal. 38 (1). Huntington Beach, CA: American Aviation Historical Society.
Boyne, Walter J. (1984). Vertical Flight: The Age of the Helicopter. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN 978-0874742794.
Pearcy, Arthur (1993). Flying the Frontiers: NASA and NACA Experimental Aircraft. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1557502582.
Sikorsky, Sergei I. (2007). The Sikorsky Legacy. Images of Aviation. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0738549958.

External links

Helis.com: Sikorsky History part 2
Sikorsky Product History: S-57, Sikorsky Archives

Sikorsky aircraft

Fixed-wing aircraft
(company designations)

S-1
S-2
S-3
S-4
S-5
S-6
S-7
S-8
S-9
S-10
S-11
S-12
S-13
S-14
S-15
S-16
S-17
S-18
S-19
S-20
S-21
S-22/23/24/25/26/27
S-28
S-29-A
S-30
S-31
S-32
S-33
S-34
S-35
S-36
S-37
S-38
S-39
S-40
S-41
S-42
S-43
VS-44
S-45

Fixed-wing aircraft
(military designations)

C-6
C-28
JRS
JR2S
PS
P2S
RS
XBLR-3
XPBS
XSS
XV-2

Helicopters
(company designations)

Helicopters
(military designations)

Experimental aircraft

v t e United States STOL and VTOL aircraft designations
Original sequence (1954-1962)	V-1 V-2 V-3
Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	V-1 V-2 V-3 V-4 V-5 V-6 V-7 V-8² XV-8 AV-8 AV-8B V-9 V-10 V-11 V-12² OV-12 FV-12 V-13¹ V-14¹ V-15 V-16³ V-17¹ V-18 V-19¹ V-20 V-21¹ V-22 V-23 V-24
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unofficial