Vought
XC-142
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Photo: Robert Deering 10/18/2012
National Museum of the USAF
Dayton, Ohio
The tilt-wing XC-142A was an experimental aircraft designed to investigate the operational suitability of vertical/short takeoff and landing transports. Such an aircraft would permit rapid movement of troops and supplies into unprepared areas under all-weather conditions. An XC-142A first flew conventionally on Sept. 29, 1964, and on Jan. 11, 1965, it completed its first transitional flight by taking off vertically, changing to forward flight and finally landing vertically.

Tilting the wing and engines skyward permitted vertical takeoff like a helicopter and then the wing and engines were gradually tilted forward to provide the greater speed of a fixed-wing aircraft in forward flight. The engines were linked together so that a single engine could turn all four propellers and the tail rotor. In tests the XC-142A was flown from airspeeds of 35 mph backwards to 400 mph forward. XC-142As were tested extensively by the Army, Navy, Air Force and NASA.

Photo: Robert Deering 1985
National Museum of the USAF
Dayton, Ohio
SPECIFICATIONS: PERFORMANCE:
Span: 67 ft. 6 in.
Length: 
58 ft. 2 in
Height:  25 ft. 8 in.
Empty Weight:  

Gross Weight: 
1,500 lbs.
Crew:
Maximum speed: 400 mph
Cruising speed:
235 mph
Range:
820 miles
Service ceiling:
25,000 ft.
Engines: Four General Electric T64s of 3,080 hp each
Armament:
   
SOURCE: National Museum of the United States Air Force