Vega Aircraft Corporation
The Vega Aircraft Corporation was a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Company in Burbank, California responsible for much of its parent company's production in World War II.
The Vega Starliner at Union Air Terminal, circa 1940 | |
| Formerly | AiRover Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | February 24, 1937 |
| Founders | Robert E. Gross |
| Defunct | November 30, 1943 |
| Successor | Lockheed Aircraft Company |
| Headquarters | , United States of America |
| Parent | Lockheed Aircraft Company |
History edit
The company was first formed in August 1937 as the AiRover Company to produce a new light aircraft design. It was renamed in May 1938 to honor Lockheed's first aircraft design, the Vega.[1]
The AiRover Model 1 was a Lockheed Altair fitted with a Menasco Unitwin 2-544 engine, which featured two engines driving a single shaft. The AiRover Model 2 was a new design named the Vega Starliner. One Starliner prototype was built and tested, but the design did not go into production.[2]
In 1940, with World War II already underway in Europe, Vega changed its focus from light aircraft to military aircraft. The company began by producing five North American NA-35 trainers under license with North American Aviation. Production by Vega really got underway with the Hudson, a patrol bomber designed for use by the Royal Air Force.
Vega entered a partnership between three companies (the other two being Boeing and Douglas) (abbreviated BVD) to produce the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Of over 12,000 B-17s produced by war's end, 2,750 were built by Vega. The company also built two experimental B-17 variants, the Boeing XB-38 Flying Fortress and the Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress.
By the end of November 1943, Vega had merged back into Lockheed, having far surpassed its original mission of producing light aircraft.[3][4]
Aircraft edit
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vega Model 1 | 1938 | 1 | Modified version of the Lockheed Altair |
| Vega Model 2 Starliner | 1939 | 1 | Prototype lightplane |
| Vega Model 40 | 5 | Target drone | |
| Vega 35 | 4 | Development of the North American NA-35 | |
| Vega Hudson | License built version of Lockheed Hudson | ||
| Vega Ventura | 1941 | 3,028 | Twin engine medium/patrol bomber |
| Vega B-17 Flying Fortress | 1942 | 2,750 | License built version of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress |
| Vega XB-38 Flying Fortress | 1943 | 1 | Modified version of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress with inline engines |
| Vega YB-40 Flying Fortress | 1942 | 1 | Modified version of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress to gunship configuration |
See also edit
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ "Lockheed Unit Takes New Name". Los Angeles Times. 1 June 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ "Chapter V: Peace, Prosperity, Peril" (PDF). Of Men and Stars: A History of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. Burbank, California: Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. July 1957. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ Thisdayinaviation.com Vega Aircraft Corporation
- ^ "Vega Wanes". Aviation News. McGraw-Hill Publishing Corporation. 22 November 1943. p. 24. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
Bibliography edit
- Francillon, René J, Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. Naval Institute Press: Annapolis, 1987.
- Yenne, Bill, Lockheed. Crescent Books, 1987.
External links edit
- Menasco 2-544 Unitwin Aircraft Engine – Old Machine Press