Ryan XV-5 Vertifan - American Jump Jet

The Ryan XV-5 Vertifan was one of the first American jet-powered Vertical and Short Take-Off Landing experimental aircraft of the 1960s. Its ingenious design would pave the way for both the F-35B STOVL variant and the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor.

Its performance and capabilities were impressive for its time. The XV5 had a top speed of 546 MPH and a 1,000-mile range. It could perform well as a fighter jet and a helicopter, for it was equipped with a lifting cable for rescuing a downed man.

This was possible thanks to the incorporations of ducted lift fans that could make the XV5 transition between vertical and horizontal flights, allowing it to hover and even fly backward.

Although impressive, the aircraft was not without its controversies. Its multipurpose roles created a growing grudge and animosity between the resourceful US Army's competencies and the newest addition to the armed forces, the US Air Force. Both the Marines and the Navy had to pick sides, and the Pentagon had to intervene to enforce order between the military branches.

In addition to this, the multiple fatal accidents that occurred while testing the XV5 led to the project's cancellation before it entered production. Thus, the aircraft never could prove its capabilities during the bloody conflict that eventually became the Vietnam War.

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Видео Ryan XV-5 Vertifan - American Jump Jet канала Dark Skies