Author Topic: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters  (Read 26702 times)

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« on: February 24, 2012, 08:20:40 AM »
My entry is going to be some musings on Avro Canada VTOL fighter designs. The starting point is the RW 1956 submission for the US Navy Type Specification 140. Avro Canada's answer was an 'X-Wing' daylight fighter powered by four Orenda-licenced Bristol Siddeley Orpheus BOr.11 turbojets (5,760 lb st each).

Each of the bedpost-arranged Orpheus had a diverter valve in its jetpipe feeding a patented Avro Canada 'eyelid' nozzle for VTOL. That 'eyelid' nozzle was controllable for fine pitch control. With the turbojet's diverter valve closed, forward thrust was provided in the conventional way.

AFAIK, there is no record of why the US Navy rejected Avro Canada's proposal. Complexity has been suggested but other TS-140 submissions were even more complex -- Bell's D-188, for example, had eight engines (four of them tilting wingtip pods!). In the end, the US Navy abandoned the entire TS-140 program. But what if ...
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Avro Canada X-Wing in Service
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2012, 08:22:12 AM »
First up is a simple re-spray of Avro Canada's TS-140 submission. Had the US Navy nibbled, it stands to reason that a training squadron would be the first user. So, here's is the Avro Canada FA Arion* in the markings of 'The Professionals', VT-23.

Below the USN FA, is a Royal Canadian Navy Arion 1F of VF 870, the fighter squadron aboard HMCS Bonaventure. The Arion replaced RCN Banshees in 1962, the Avro fighters being embarked in time for the Cuban missile crisis fleet-at-sea patrol.

[* I've used the 'A' manufacturers code for Avro Canada since Brewster wasn't around anymore. The serial is the first in a series of cancelled Grumman F11F-1P Tigers.]
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Silver Fox

  • Talk to me Goose!
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2012, 08:35:33 AM »
Seriously cool looking! Especially the RCN example, I don't much like training schemes... all that bright red almost screams "Here I am! Here's the plane wreckage!". As a former maintainer, that attitude just bugs me. :)
But, if they are X-Wings, where is the R2 unit? :)
Someone was going to say it... best get it out of the way quick.  8)

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2012, 08:51:21 AM »
Seriously cool looking! Especially the RCN example, I don't much like training schemes... all that bright red almost screams "Here I am! Here's the plane wreckage!". As a former maintainer, that attitude just bugs me.

Thanks Silver Fox. To my eyes, most of the schemes from that era are pretty dull. And great swaths of red don't help much. Besides, anything as weird-looking as the Avro TS-140 submission is going to stand out all by itself   ;)

But, if they are X-Wings, where is the R2 unit?

The 'backseater' doesn't appear until the Arion 2F  ;D
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Silver Fox

  • Talk to me Goose!
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2012, 10:05:55 AM »
Instead of a GIB (Guy In Back) it can have a BIB('bot In Back).  8)

Offline Brian da Basher

  • He has an unnatural attraction to Spats...and a growing fascination with airships!
  • Holding Pattern
  • *
  • Hulk smash, Brian bash
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 12:51:33 AM »
That Canadian one is proof that Maple Leaf roundels are always a fine addition to any aircraft!

Looking forward to seeing more!

Brian da Basher

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada C.114 VTOL Fighter
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2012, 11:00:33 AM »
AltHist: In the aftermath of its TS-140 submission being rejected, the VTOL Section of Avro Canada's Advanced Projects Group considered alternative designs. In review, the TS-140 submission was seen to have three key disadvanges: a wheel-less undercarriage (which required a separate mover/loader); the complexity and expense of four main engines; and the need to licence another firm's engine design.

The 'X-Wing' design had been closely tailored to the US Navy's TS-140 specification. And a major redesign would be required to address its perceived shortcomings. To that end, in early 1958, VTOL Section proposed a twin-engined design using the Iroquois turbojet from Avro's Orenda Engines division.

Without afterburning, each Iroquois produced 19,250 lb of thrust -- almost the same as the combined thrust from all four of the TS-140 submission's Orpheus. VTOL Section was confident that two unreheated Iroquois would be more than enough power for a Mach 2 fighter. Initially this design was designated Project Study 14.

For vertical take-off and landing, the PS-14's Iroquois engines had larger versions of the 'eyelid' diverter valves used on the 'X-Wing' design. Downward thrust from the diverters was to be balanced by two dedicated lift-jet engines installed in the forward fuselage. These would be the 2,400 lb thrust RB.108 single-spool turbojet from Rolls-Royce.

In layout, PS-14 was a canard with main engines mounted on the rear wingtips. In VTOL mode, downward thrust was, therefore, in a three-legged stance with the paired RB.108s placed just aft of the cockpit and the diverted Iroquois on either wingtip. Fine balance was to be acheived with reaction control nozzles in the nose and tail. These 'puffer jets' were fed by bleed air piped from the Iroquis engines.*

Senior management was pleased with the resulting PS-14 concept and approval was given to pitch the new design to the RCAF as the Avro Canada C.114 VTOL high-altitude fighter. Avro believed that the C.114 would be an ideal Sabre 6 replacement. Armament would be contained in interchangable belly packs. Principle armament would be 2.75" rockets in a extensible pack. Rockets could be exchanged for a gun pack or, for ferry purposes, a long-range fuel tank.

RCAF reaction to the C.114 proposal was luke-warm. On the one hand, the Avro Canada fighter represented a considerable advance on Sabre performance. On the deficit side, the armament proposed for the C.114 was regarded as too light but with limited scope for improvement. As Canada would need a fighter with strike capabilities to satisfy its NATO commitments, the RCAF could not support further development of the Avro Canada C.114 project.

[* This choice was influenced by required RB.108 thrust which would drop to 2,200 lb with bleed. The Iroquois had power to spare, offsetting the added weight of longer piping runs.]
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Brian da Basher

  • He has an unnatural attraction to Spats...and a growing fascination with airships!
  • Holding Pattern
  • *
  • Hulk smash, Brian bash
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2012, 05:27:42 PM »
Awesome art and a great backstory too, apophenia! I really like how you gave us an internal view in the Avro up top!

Brian da Basher

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
  • Full Member
  • Stylishly late...because he was reading comics
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2012, 11:32:33 PM »
Woweee!!  :-* :-*
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2012, 11:02:49 AM »
Thanks guys ... more to come on Avro Canada VTOLs  ;)

... I really like how you gave us an internal view in the Avro up top!

Cheers Brian. I'll be trying to do that for all of them (it's not always obvious what's going on with many of these VTOL designs ... real, might-have-been, or in this case, whiffy).
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2012, 08:03:42 AM »
Fascinating stuff!

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Avro Canada VTOL C.113
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2012, 07:16:43 AM »
Cheer EH. The next installment in Avro Canada VTOL fighter development ...

While the PS-14 group explored mixed lift-jet and diverted thrust VTOL fighter concepts, another sub-section of Avro Canada's Advanced Projects Group considered tilting propulsion. The PS-23 concept was a tilt-wing design with wingtip engines.

Following a senior management directive, the PS-23 was to employ Orenda powerplants exclusively. The Iroquois turbojet was quickly eliminated from consideration due to its great length (even without its afterburner). This focused attention on Orenda's proposed high-bypass turbofan engine. While much less powerful than the Iroquois, the turbofan -- which would be named the Oread -- was short enough to ensure ground clearance along with a minimal balance shift when tilting the wing.

In its early incarnations, the PS-23 fuselage and vertical fin strongly resembled those of the 'X-wing' TS-140 submission. Later, the PS-23 -- or C.113 as it had been designated -- received a tail arrangement more like that of the C.103 fighter. This was to make space in the tailcone for a 12,000 lb thrust Orenda Orcus booster rocket. This was intended to provide a degree of interceptor capability to what was considered to be primarily a strike fighter.

The PS-23/C.113 concept was eclipsed by the more advanced PS-27/C.117 design series.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Silver Fox

  • Talk to me Goose!
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2012, 07:55:30 AM »
Very cool. I like tilt-wings, especially Canadian ones. :)

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2012, 10:54:14 AM »
Cheers Silver Fox. This next one is tilt-y too ... but nacelle only  :))

While previous Avro Canada VTOL concepts had been aimed at pure fighter or fighter-bomber designs, the C.116 was to be a lighter, dedicated attack aircraft. Avro Canada management were convinced that the Fiat G.91 was passed its prime and that NATO must soon issue a Basic Military Requirement to replace the 'Gina' and similar types.

The PS-26 design began as a tilt-nacelle concept. Main power would be from two rear-mounted Orenda Oread high-bypass turbofans. Two smaller engines (2,400 lb thrust Rolls-Royce RB.108) would be mounted on short, anhedralled canard wing surfaces. Airflow and jet efflux were seen as potentially problematic. Moreover, Rolls-Royce advised Avro Canada that its single-spool turbojet was not intended for continuous use.

The revised PS-26 design became the C.116 proposal. Here, RB.108s were installed as pure lift-jets (ą la the C.114) while the Oread high-bypass turbofans provided motive power as well as rotating for STOL or VTOL landings. To minimize development cost (and risk), some components were taken from other designs -- notably CF-100 outer wing panels (joined on the centre line) and horizontal tailplane. The vertical tail was inspired by Avro Canada's earlier C.103 fighter design.

Another C.116 inspiration came from the Arrow PS-2 concept. This resulted in fixed wing pods containing fuel, the main undercarriage, and interchangable front sections. The latter could carry 2.75" rockets or more fuel. Additional rocket pods or fuel tanks could be mounted on the wing tips.

As it turned out, no NBMR was issued for Fiat G.91 replacements. The RCAF reviewed the C.116 but found the design to be underarmed for its size while lacking true fighter performance. Thus the C.116 design group found themselves without a market. The RCAF was primarily interested in a new fighter with strike capabilities to replace its Sabre 6s. To meet that requirement, Avro Canada focused on their higher-performing C.117 fighter-bomber concept.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2012, 10:26:47 AM »
The next installment in Avro Canada VTOL fighter development is the C.117 ...

The final aircraft springing from the Avro Canada submission to TS-140 changed dramatically during its design progression. As begun, the PS-27 was similar to the TS-140 proposal but reduced from four to three engines using thrust deflectors. The '3-poster' undercarriage arrangement was retained but each leg now had wheels (the double-wheeled central gear leg doing the steering).

Aware that the unreheated Orenda Iroquois was too large, Avro Canada was forced to look outside for powerplants. Bristol Siddeley suggested its Gyron Junior, a 7,100 lb st turbojet. But a more appealing choice was presented by Rolls-Royce with a militarized version of its new RB.163 (in effect a reduced-scale Conway) optimized for low-level performance and producing 10,400 lb st.

In its intial C.117/1 form, the PS-27 was to be powered by three RB.163 low-bypass turbofan engines. The C.117/2 was to incorporate an Orcus booster rocket but this design was eclipsed by the C.117/3 which introduced twin wing-mounted Orenda Oread high-bypass turbofans in an attempt to improve fuel economy. The C.117/4 was similar to the C.117/3 other than having canard wings of reduced chord. Avro Canada senior management was not overly impressed by any of these concepts.

The C.117/5 resembled the C.117/3 but introduced a conventional tricycle landing gear. The canard wings were reduced in area with horizontal tail surfaces added (base on those of the C.113/9). The C.117/6 introduced a small armaments bay which could also house extra fuel tanks. This would lead to yet another C.117 redesign ...
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Silver Fox

  • Talk to me Goose!
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2012, 10:37:16 AM »
Wild!
Not where I was imagining this going!

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
  • Full Member
  • Stylishly late...because he was reading comics
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2012, 08:21:19 PM »
Awesome!!  :-* The latest design looks great
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline Brian da Basher

  • He has an unnatural attraction to Spats...and a growing fascination with airships!
  • Holding Pattern
  • *
  • Hulk smash, Brian bash
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2012, 04:50:51 AM »
Your C.117 takes the cake, apophenia! That's some wonderfully imaginative and flawlessly executed work!

Any chance of a head-on pic and maybe even a 3/4 view?

Stunning!!!

Brian da Basher

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #18 on: March 17, 2012, 08:31:19 AM »
Cheers guys. Brian: hoping to get to do some 3-views but I want to first the sequence first. Now if the RW would just b@gger off for a while ...  :icon_nif:
-------

Avro Canada VTOL fighter -- the C.117 [Part 2]

The C.117/7 introduced an entirely new 'T' tail onto the C.117/6 airframe. Power was provided three deflector-nozzled turbofans -- two stub-wing mounted Orenda Oreads and a single RB.163 in the tail. The C.117/8 was essentially the same apart from having an Orcus booster rocket mounted between RB.163 exhaust and rudder.

The C.117/7 concept was shown unofficially to members of the Defence Research Board for comments. The DRB reaction was generally positive but critical of both range and armament options. Rather than proceed to an official RCAF submission, the C.117 sub-section of Avro Canada's Advanced Projects Group elected to undertake a major redesign.

The result was the C.117/9. Power remained the same -- three deflector-nozzled turbofans -- but the airframe was very different. The canard arrangement was dropped along with the forward stub-wings. The wings were enlarged and became gulled. On each wing tip was mounted an Orenda Oread turbofan. The tail-mounted RB.163 retained its exhaust deflector valve but each of the wingtip engines now rotated for VTOL performance.

The new C.117/9 airframe arrangement freed space in the forward fuselage. The armaments bay pioneered by the C.117/6 was doubled in size. This bay could accommodate a ferry fuel tank; a single, retractable 'container' for large rockets; twin retractable 'containers' for 2.75" rockets; or a single 2.75" rocket 'container'. In the latter case, the rear bay space was filled with an extra fuel tank with optional, external rails for GAR-8 (Sidewinder IA) infrared guided missiles.

With its very revised C.117/9 concept, the C.117 APG believed itself ready for an official submission to the RCAF. Unbeknowst to the Advanced Projects Group, NATO and the RCAF had already bowled them a googly...
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Silver Fox

  • Talk to me Goose!
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2012, 10:35:36 AM »
Very pretty!
Has a very 50's feel to it. The C.117/9 look like it's going to suffer from pitch-up instability just like the Voodoo when the wing blanks the horizontal stab... but they didn't know that then. A little fatal-flaw that makes it more real.

Offline Brian da Basher

  • He has an unnatural attraction to Spats...and a growing fascination with airships!
  • Holding Pattern
  • *
  • Hulk smash, Brian bash
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #20 on: March 17, 2012, 03:45:06 PM »
This just keeps getting better and better with each update! I really like the additional details and I nominate "Bowled them a Googly" as the catchphrase of the year!

Brian da Basher

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
  • Full Member
  • Stylishly late...because he was reading comics
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #21 on: March 17, 2012, 09:22:22 PM »
They look extremely powerful  8)
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #22 on: March 19, 2012, 11:33:25 AM »
Cheers guys.

taiidan': All the early VTOL jet designers seemed to underestimate fuel requirements. Something like the Hawker P.1127 would have trouble lifting the pilots lunch box ... but they sure did look cool  ;D

Brian: That phrase always spoke to me (although, I must admit, cricket leaves me mystified!)

Silver Fox: I do like the flaws that pop up in the design process. Limitations are part of what make life interesting :)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #23 on: March 19, 2012, 11:35:15 AM »
Avro Canada VTOL fighter -- the C.117 [Part 3]

Once it had become all but certain that the standard NATO fighter was to be the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, Avro Canada entered negotiations with the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. The C.117 APG was instructed by Avro senior management to adapt its C.117/9 concept to as much of the F-104G structure as possible. This meant going even further outside the company.

If the F-104G was chosen by Canada, policy dictated that the Starfighters would be licence built by Canadair. The C.117 APG would need to coordinate with their erstwhile rivals in Montreal. However, this turn of events also opened other possibilities for cooperation. After inquiries were made, risk-sharing agreements were made with Fokker in the Netherlands and SABCA in Belgium.

The C.117/10 was, to all effects, the C.117/9 concept reinvented with Starfighter fuselage components and tailplane. The wings and engine arrangement remained essentially unchanged although intakes were revised to reduce the likelyhood of FOD.

Armament options were also sketched out in great detail. Standard armament was considered to be twin retractable 'containers' of 2.75" rockets. One alternative was a single 'container' with larger missiles derived from Bristol's work on the Black Brant series. These were the Bristol Bretteur 5" rocket, Briseur cratering munition, or Brūlet anti-shipping missile. Another alternative was external rails for GAR-8 Sidewinder IA with an extra fuel tank in the bay.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Silver Fox

  • Talk to me Goose!
Re: Avro Canada VTOL Fighters
« Reply #24 on: March 20, 2012, 05:01:07 AM »
A worthy reason to sacrifice an F-104 and a Lear (engines) if I ever saw one. :)