fbpx
Wikipedia

Vought V-141

January 06, 2023

The Vought V-141 (which was later redesignated V-143 after modification) was a prototype American single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s. It was a development of the unsuccessful Northrop 3-A design, but was itself a failure, being rejected by the United States Army Air Corps. The sole prototype was sold to the Japanese Army in 1937, but no production followed, with the type proving to be inferior to existing Japanese fighters.

V-141 / V-143
The V-141
Role Fighter aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Vought
First flight 29 March 1936
Number built 1
Developed from Northrop 3-A

Design and development

In 1935, Northrop had flown the Northrop 3A, a single-engined, single-seat monoplane with a retractable undercarriage, to meet a United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) requirement for a single-seat fighter. This was a development of Northrop's XFT prototype carrier fighter, and shared the XFT's instability and tendency to enter spins. The sole Northrop 3A prototype disappeared during a test flight over the Pacific on 30 July 1935, and Northrop decided to abandon further development of the 3A.[1][2]

The Air Corps' requirement for a new fighter was still outstanding however, with final evaluation being delayed several times.[3] Despite the warnings of his engineers, Eugene Wright, President of Vought, decided to buy the 3A project from Northrop with the hope of winning orders from the Air Corps, the purchase being agreed early in 1936.[2][4]

Vought's design team had little time to work on the new fighter if it was to compete in the Air Corps competition, and changes made to the design purchased from Northrop were relatively small, with an enlarged rudder being fitted in a bid to solve the handling problems of the XFT and 3A, while the undercarriage and engine cowling were also modified.[5] In this form, the prototype fighter, designated Vought V-141 by the manufacturer, made its maiden flight on 29 March 1936.[2] Like the 3A, the V-141 was a low-wing monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage and an enclosed cockpit. It was powered by a 750 hp (560 kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, a slightly more powerful version of the engine that powered the 3A.[6][7]

The competing bids were evaluated by the Air Corps in April 1936. Vought offered to sell V-141s at a unit price of $34,148 for a batch of 25 aircraft (excluding engines and Government provided equipment), reducing to $16,041 for a batch of 200 aircraft. Testing showed that the V-141 still had poor handling and was prone to spinning, and also suffered from tail flutter, leading to the Vought design being rejected. The primary winner of the competition was Seversky, with 77 P-35s being ordered.[8]

Vought then decided to offer its fighter for export, modifying it with larger tail surfaces and renaming it the Vought V-143. This was offered to Argentina as a replacement for its obsolete Dewoitine D.21s. When it came to be tested in Argentina, Curtiss-Wright representatives, eager to sell the Curtiss 75, pointed out that the Vought was fitted with an anti-spin parachute in the tail. When the Argentines demanded that the spin characteristics be demonstrated without the anti-spin parachute, Vought refused, and the Curtiss 75 was selected by the Argentines instead.[2][7][9]

Further rejections from Turkey, Norway and Yugoslavia followed.[5] This led to Vought, in an attempt to solve the fighter's handling problems once and for all, to rebuild the aircraft again in May 1937, with a lengthened rear fuselage and a new taller tail resembling that of the Vought SB2U. The engine was replaced by an 825 hp (615 kW) R-1535-SB4G.[7] Thus modified, the V-143 was tested again by the USAAC in June 1937 but was rejected again. The V-143 prototype was finally purchased by Japan in July 1937 for $175,000.[2] It was tested by the Japanese Navy as the Navy Experimental Fighter Type V (short designation AXV1), but found to be inferior to existing Japanese fighters.[10][11]

Specifications (V-143 – final layout)

Data from The American Fighter[10]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)
  • Wingspan: 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
  • Wing area: 187 sq ft (17.4 m2)
  • Empty weight: 3,940 lb (1,787 kg)
  • Gross weight: 4,370 lb (1,982 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 112 US Gallon, 424 L
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535-SB4G air-cooled radial engine, 825 hp (615 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 292 mph (470 km/h, 254 kn) at 11,485 ft (3,500 m)
  • Cruise speed: 221 mph (356 km/h, 192 kn)
  • Range: 808 mi (1,300 km, 702 nmi) at 18,045 ft (5,500 m) (55% power)[2]
  • Service ceiling: 30,600 ft (9,300 m)
  • Time to altitude: 3 min 6 sec to 10,000 ft (3,050 m)

Armament

  • Guns: 2 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
  • Bombs: 300 lb (140 kg) bombs

See also

References

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vought V-141.

Notes

  1. ^ Angelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 361.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Air Enthusiast October 1972, pp. 199–200.
  3. ^ Green and Swanborough 1979, pp. 10–11.
  4. ^ Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 434–435.
  5. ^ a b Angelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 435.
  6. ^ Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 435–436.
  7. ^ a b c Green and Swanborough 1994, p. 585.
  8. ^ Green and Swanborough 1979, p. 11.
  9. ^ Hagedorn 1993, p. 321.
  10. ^ a b Angelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 436.
  11. ^ Francillon 1970, p. 550.

Bibliography

  • Angelucci, Enzo and Peter M. Bowers. The American Fighter. Sparkford, UK: Haynes Publishing, 1987. ISBN 0-85429-635-2.
  • Francillon, R.J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War . London: Putnam, 1970. ISBN 0-370-00033-1.
  • Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The end of the beginning...The Seversky P35". Air Enthusiast. Ten, July–September 1979. pp. 8–21.
  • Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
  • Hagedorn, Dan. "Argentina's Classic Curtiss". Air International. December 1993, Vol 45 No 6. pp. 321–324.
  • Millot, Bernard (December 1978). "Vought V-141/143 Northrop Model 3A: Etait-il terriblement malchanceux ou simplement loupé?" [Vought V-141/143 Northrop Model 3A: Terribly Unlucky or Just Missed?]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (109): 30–33. ISSN 0757-4169.
  • "Plane Facts: Zero-sen ancestry". Air Enthusiast. October 1973, Vol 3 No 4. pp. 199–200.

January 06, 2023
vought, which, later, redesignated, after, modification, prototype, american, single, seat, fighter, aircraft, 1930s, development, unsuccessful, northrop, design, itself, failure, being, rejected, united, states, army, corps, sole, prototype, sold, japanese, a. The Vought V 141 which was later redesignated V 143 after modification was a prototype American single seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s It was a development of the unsuccessful Northrop 3 A design but was itself a failure being rejected by the United States Army Air Corps The sole prototype was sold to the Japanese Army in 1937 but no production followed with the type proving to be inferior to existing Japanese fighters V 141 V 143The V 141Role Fighter aircraftNational origin United StatesManufacturer VoughtFirst flight 29 March 1936Number built 1Developed from Northrop 3 A Contents 1 Design and development 2 Specifications V 143 final layout 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 BibliographyDesign and development EditIn 1935 Northrop had flown the Northrop 3A a single engined single seat monoplane with a retractable undercarriage to meet a United States Army Air Corps USAAC requirement for a single seat fighter This was a development of Northrop s XFT prototype carrier fighter and shared the XFT s instability and tendency to enter spins The sole Northrop 3A prototype disappeared during a test flight over the Pacific on 30 July 1935 and Northrop decided to abandon further development of the 3A 1 2 The Air Corps requirement for a new fighter was still outstanding however with final evaluation being delayed several times 3 Despite the warnings of his engineers Eugene Wright President of Vought decided to buy the 3A project from Northrop with the hope of winning orders from the Air Corps the purchase being agreed early in 1936 2 4 Vought s design team had little time to work on the new fighter if it was to compete in the Air Corps competition and changes made to the design purchased from Northrop were relatively small with an enlarged rudder being fitted in a bid to solve the handling problems of the XFT and 3A while the undercarriage and engine cowling were also modified 5 In this form the prototype fighter designated Vought V 141 by the manufacturer made its maiden flight on 29 March 1936 2 Like the 3A the V 141 was a low wing monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage and an enclosed cockpit It was powered by a 750 hp 560 kW Pratt amp Whitney Twin Wasp Junior radial engine a slightly more powerful version of the engine that powered the 3A 6 7 The competing bids were evaluated by the Air Corps in April 1936 Vought offered to sell V 141s at a unit price of 34 148 for a batch of 25 aircraft excluding engines and Government provided equipment reducing to 16 041 for a batch of 200 aircraft Testing showed that the V 141 still had poor handling and was prone to spinning and also suffered from tail flutter leading to the Vought design being rejected The primary winner of the competition was Seversky with 77 P 35s being ordered 8 Vought then decided to offer its fighter for export modifying it with larger tail surfaces and renaming it the Vought V 143 This was offered to Argentina as a replacement for its obsolete Dewoitine D 21s When it came to be tested in Argentina Curtiss Wright representatives eager to sell the Curtiss 75 pointed out that the Vought was fitted with an anti spin parachute in the tail When the Argentines demanded that the spin characteristics be demonstrated without the anti spin parachute Vought refused and the Curtiss 75 was selected by the Argentines instead 2 7 9 Further rejections from Turkey Norway and Yugoslavia followed 5 This led to Vought in an attempt to solve the fighter s handling problems once and for all to rebuild the aircraft again in May 1937 with a lengthened rear fuselage and a new taller tail resembling that of the Vought SB2U The engine was replaced by an 825 hp 615 kW R 1535 SB4G 7 Thus modified the V 143 was tested again by the USAAC in June 1937 but was rejected again The V 143 prototype was finally purchased by Japan in July 1937 for 175 000 2 It was tested by the Japanese Navy as the Navy Experimental Fighter Type V short designation AXV1 but found to be inferior to existing Japanese fighters 10 11 Specifications V 143 final layout EditData from The American Fighter 10 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 26 ft 0 in 7 92 m Wingspan 33 ft 6 in 10 21 m Height 9 ft 4 in 2 84 m Wing area 187 sq ft 17 4 m2 Empty weight 3 940 lb 1 787 kg Gross weight 4 370 lb 1 982 kg Fuel capacity 112 US Gallon 424 L Powerplant 1 Pratt amp Whitney R 1535 SB4G air cooled radial engine 825 hp 615 kW Performance Maximum speed 292 mph 470 km h 254 kn at 11 485 ft 3 500 m Cruise speed 221 mph 356 km h 192 kn Range 808 mi 1 300 km 702 nmi at 18 045 ft 5 500 m 55 power 2 Service ceiling 30 600 ft 9 300 m Time to altitude 3 min 6 sec to 10 000 ft 3 050 m Armament Guns 2 30 in 7 62 mm machine guns Bombs 300 lb 140 kg bombsSee also EditNorthrop XFTReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vought V 141 Aviation portalNotes Edit Angelucci and Bowers 1987 p 361 a b c d e f Air Enthusiast October 1972 pp 199 200 Green and Swanborough 1979 pp 10 11 Angelucci and Bowers 1987 pp 434 435 a b Angelucci and Bowers 1987 p 435 Angelucci and Bowers 1987 pp 435 436 a b c Green and Swanborough 1994 p 585 Green and Swanborough 1979 p 11 Hagedorn 1993 p 321 a b Angelucci and Bowers 1987 p 436 Francillon 1970 p 550 Bibliography Edit Angelucci Enzo and Peter M Bowers The American Fighter Sparkford UK Haynes Publishing 1987 ISBN 0 85429 635 2 Francillon R J Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War London Putnam 1970 ISBN 0 370 00033 1 Green William and Gordon Swanborough The end of the beginning The Seversky P35 Air Enthusiast Ten July September 1979 pp 8 21 Green William and Gordon Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters New York Smithmark 1994 ISBN 0 8317 3939 8 Hagedorn Dan Argentina s Classic Curtiss Air International December 1993 Vol 45 No 6 pp 321 324 Millot Bernard December 1978 Vought V 141 143 Northrop Model 3A Etait il terriblement malchanceux ou simplement loupe Vought V 141 143 Northrop Model 3A Terribly Unlucky or Just Missed Le Fana de l Aviation in French 109 30 33 ISSN 0757 4169 Plane Facts Zero sen ancestry Air Enthusiast October 1973 Vol 3 No 4 pp 199 200 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vought V 141 amp oldid 1118014710, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.