The Bellanca 19-25 Skyrocket II was a prototype light airplane built in the United States in the 1970s. Despite its advanced design and exceptionally good performance, it never achieved certification or entered production.
19-25 Skyrocket II
Skyrocket II under aerodynamic evaluation by NASA.
The aircraft was the result of Giuseppe Bellanca's son, August Thomas Bellanca. Bellanca formed Bellanca Aircraft Engineering Inc. company in Scott Depot, West Virginia to develop a new design conceived in 1957.[1] The Skyrocket II was a six-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional layout with retractable tricycle landing gear. It was made of composite materials, an advanced feature for its time, and test flying proved it to be fast. In 1975, within months of its first flight, the prototype claimed five world airspeed records for piston aircraft in its class. Three still stand in 2022:
Class C-1c (takeoff weight 1000 to 1750 kg): average 296 miles/hour on a 500-km circuit[2]
Class C-1d (weight 1750 to 3000 kg): average 326 mph on a 500-km circuit[3] and 314 mph on a 1000-km circuit[4]
The aircraft attracted the attention of NASA, which conducted an aerodynamic analysis of the design, investigating natural laminar flow as a factor of its high performance.
Plans to produce the aircraft commercially were scrapped due to the downturn in the civil aviation market in the United States in the early 1980s. In the mid-1990s, the design was developed into a kit and sold as the Skyrocket III to help fund a new certification programme. The Skyrocket III features greater speed, payload and range and was re-engineered for modular construction. By 1998 eleven kits had been delivered, but it is uncertain if any were completed and flown.[5]
Surviving aircraftedit
The prototype Skyrocket II is owned by the Delaware Aviation Museum in Georgetown, Delaware.[6]
Specifications (Skyrocket II)edit
Data fromJane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77.[7]
General characteristics
Crew: one
Capacity: five passengers
Length: 27 ft 5.6 in (8.372 m) Tip of spinner to tail
Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1976). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN0-354-00538-3.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 152.
"Bellanca SkyRocket back on launch pad" Flight International April 12, 1996.
Wynbrandt, James. "AviaBellanca SkyRocket gets Orenda power" General Aviation News August 7, 1998.
May 02, 2024
bellanca, skyrocket, bellanca, skyrocket, prototype, light, airplane, built, united, states, 1970s, despite, advanced, design, exceptionally, good, performance, never, achieved, certification, entered, production, skyrocket, skyrocket, under, aerodynamic, eval. The Bellanca 19 25 Skyrocket II was a prototype light airplane built in the United States in the 1970s Despite its advanced design and exceptionally good performance it never achieved certification or entered production 19 25 Skyrocket II Skyrocket II under aerodynamic evaluation by NASA Role Utility aircraft Manufacturer Bellanca Aircraft Engineering Inc First flight March 1975 Produced 1 Contents 1 Development 2 Surviving aircraft 3 Specifications Skyrocket II 4 ReferencesDevelopment editThe aircraft was the result of Giuseppe Bellanca s son August Thomas Bellanca Bellanca formed Bellanca Aircraft Engineering Inc company in Scott Depot West Virginia to develop a new design conceived in 1957 1 The Skyrocket II was a six seat low wing cantilever monoplane of conventional layout with retractable tricycle landing gear It was made of composite materials an advanced feature for its time and test flying proved it to be fast In 1975 within months of its first flight the prototype claimed five world airspeed records for piston aircraft in its class Three still stand in 2022 Class C 1c takeoff weight 1000 to 1750 kg average 296 miles hour on a 500 km circuit 2 Class C 1d weight 1750 to 3000 kg average 326 mph on a 500 km circuit 3 and 314 mph on a 1000 km circuit 4 The aircraft attracted the attention of NASA which conducted an aerodynamic analysis of the design investigating natural laminar flow as a factor of its high performance Plans to produce the aircraft commercially were scrapped due to the downturn in the civil aviation market in the United States in the early 1980s In the mid 1990s the design was developed into a kit and sold as the Skyrocket III to help fund a new certification programme The Skyrocket III features greater speed payload and range and was re engineered for modular construction By 1998 eleven kits had been delivered but it is uncertain if any were completed and flown 5 Surviving aircraft editThe prototype Skyrocket II is owned by the Delaware Aviation Museum in Georgetown Delaware 6 Specifications Skyrocket II editData from Jane s All The World s Aircraft 1976 77 7 General characteristicsCrew one Capacity five passengers Length 27 ft 5 6 in 8 372 m Tip of spinner to tail Wingspan 34 ft 10 7 in 10 635 m Height 9 ft 3 in 2 82 m Wing area 182 6 sq ft 16 96 m2 Aspect ratio 6 667 Airfoil NACA 632215 Empty weight 2 300 lb 1 043 kg Max takeoff weight 4 100 lb 1 860 kg Powerplant 1 Continental GTSIO 520 F air cooled flat six 435 hp 324 kW Propellers 3 bladed Performance Maximum speed 331 mph 533 km h 288 kn at 29 000 ft 8 800 m Cruise speed 255 mph 410 km h 222 kn at 15 000 ft 4 600 m 65 power Stall speed 65 mph 105 km h 56 kn flaps down Range 1 465 mi 2 358 km 1 273 nmi Service ceiling 30 000 ft 9 100 m Rate of climb 1 900 ft min 9 7 m s Wing loading 24 45 lb sq ft 119 4 kg m2 Power mass 0 106References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bellanca Skyrocket II George C Larson April 1973 Whatever Happened to August Bellanca Flying Magazine 51 John P Harris USA 1605 10 October 2017 John P Harris USA 8030 10 October 2017 John P Harris USA 8036 10 October 2017 Purdy Don AeroCrafter Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook Fifth Edition page 120 BAI Communications 15 July 1998 ISBN 0 9636409 4 1 Bellanca Skyrocket II Delaware Aviation Museum Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation Retrieved 30 January 2018 Taylor 1976 pp 237 238 Taylor John W R ed 1976 Jane s All The World s Aircraft 1976 77 London Jane s Yearbooks ISBN 0 354 00538 3 Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions p 152 Bellanca SkyRocket back on launch pad Flight International April 12 1996 Wynbrandt James AviaBellanca SkyRocket gets Orenda power General Aviation News August 7 1998 manufacturer s website Federation Aeronautique Internationale records page for this aircraft Summary of NASA test programme Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bellanca Skyrocket II amp oldid 1090757594, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
