The Dassault Balzac V was a French vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) testbed of the early 1960s. It was built by Dassault Aviation from a prototype Mirage III aircraft to test the configuration for the Mirage IIIV. The sole example was involved in two major accidents that killed the aircraft's pilot, and was not repaired after the second crash.
Since the Rolls-Royce RB162 lift engines specified for the Mirage IIIV were not expected to be available before 1963, Dassault modified the first Mirage III prototype to serve as an interim VTOL testbed. Eight Rolls-Royce RB108 lift engines were installed, each with an average maximum takeoff thrust of 9.83 kN (2,210 lbf). The Mirage III's Snecma Atar G.2 propulsion engine was replaced with an unreheated (non-afterburning)Bristol Siddeley Orpheus BOr 3 with a thrust of 21.57 kN (4,850 lbf). The lift engines were grouped in tandem pairs around the aircraft's center of gravity on either side of the propulsion engine's intake duct, with each pair in a row separated by the main undercarriage wheelbays.[1]
Operational history
The Balzac V began tethered hovering on 12 October 1962 and achieved the first free hover only six days later,[2] two months ahead of schedule. The first accelerating transition from vertical takeoff to horizontal flight took place on its seventeenth sortie on 18 March 1963.
The aircraft crashed on 10 January 1964, on its 125th sortie, during a low-altitude hover. During a vertical descent the aircraft experienced uncontrollable divergent wing oscillations, the port wing eventually striking the ground at an acute angle with the aircraft rolling over because of the continued lift engine thrust. The loss was attributed to loss of control because the stabilising limits of the three-axis autostabilisation system's 'puffer pipes' were exceeded in roll. Although airframe damage was relatively light, the Centre D'Essai en Vol test pilot, Jacques Pinier, did not eject and died in the crash.[3]
The aircraft was rebuilt, and resumed flight testing on 2 February 1965.[4] On 8 September 1965, the aircraft suffered another fatal crash, once again while in a low altitude hover. The aircraft was being evaluated by United States Air Force Major P. E. Neale, as part of a Franco-American information exchange on VTOL programmes. Major Neale made an unsuccessful ejection outside the ejection seat's escape envelope. The findings of the accident investigation were never made public. It was speculated that hydraulic control difficulties coupled with excessive use of the lift engines resulted in fuel starvation and the flameout of all nine engines. Once again, the damage was not irreparable, but this time the aircraft was not rebuilt, as flight development of the Mirage IIIV prototype was already underway.[4]
The Balzac V gained its name from the co-incidence of its serial number (001) with the telephone number (BALZAC 001) of a well-known Paris movie advertising agency[5](Publicité Jean Mineur)[citation needed].
Breffort, Dominique and Andre Jouineau. "The Mirage III, 5, 50 and Derivatives from 1955 to 2000." Planes and Pilots 6. Paris: Histoire et Collections, 2004. ISBN2-913903-92-4.
Buttler, Tony and Jean-Louis Delezenne. X-Planes of Europe: Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946-1974. Manchester, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2012. ISBN978-1-902-10921-3
Cuny, Jean (1989). Les avions de combat français, 2: Chasse lourde, bombardement, assaut, exploration [French Combat Aircraft 2: Heavy Fighters, Bombers, Attack, Reconnaissance]. Docavia (in French). Vol. 30. Ed. Larivière. OCLC 36836833.
Fricker, John (November 1993). "Mirage might have beens 2: Balzac - Dassault's first VTOL variant". Air International. Vol. 45, no. 5. pp. 268–274.
Pérez, San Emeterio Carlos. Mirage: Espejismo de la técnica y de la política (in Spanish). Madrid: Armas 30. Editorial San Martin, 1978. ISBN84-7140-158-4.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dassault Balzac V.
January 10, 2023
dassault, balzac, french, vertical, takeoff, landing, vtol, testbed, early, 1960s, built, dassault, aviation, from, prototype, mirage, aircraft, test, configuration, mirage, iiiv, sole, example, involved, major, accidents, that, killed, aircraft, pilot, repair. The Dassault Balzac V was a French vertical takeoff and landing VTOL testbed of the early 1960s It was built by Dassault Aviation from a prototype Mirage III aircraft to test the configuration for the Mirage IIIV The sole example was involved in two major accidents that killed the aircraft s pilot and was not repaired after the second crash Balzac VBalzac V 001Role VTOL testbedManufacturer Dassault AviationFirst flight 13 October 1962Primary user French Air ForceProduced 1962Number built 1Developed from Dassault Mirage III Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications Balzac V 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksDesign and development EditSince the Rolls Royce RB162 lift engines specified for the Mirage IIIV were not expected to be available before 1963 Dassault modified the first Mirage III prototype to serve as an interim VTOL testbed Eight Rolls Royce RB108 lift engines were installed each with an average maximum takeoff thrust of 9 83 kN 2 210 lbf The Mirage III s Snecma Atar G 2 propulsion engine was replaced with an unreheated non afterburning Bristol Siddeley Orpheus BOr 3 with a thrust of 21 57 kN 4 850 lbf The lift engines were grouped in tandem pairs around the aircraft s center of gravity on either side of the propulsion engine s intake duct with each pair in a row separated by the main undercarriage wheelbays 1 Operational history EditThe Balzac V began tethered hovering on 12 October 1962 and achieved the first free hover only six days later 2 two months ahead of schedule The first accelerating transition from vertical takeoff to horizontal flight took place on its seventeenth sortie on 18 March 1963 The aircraft crashed on 10 January 1964 on its 125th sortie during a low altitude hover During a vertical descent the aircraft experienced uncontrollable divergent wing oscillations the port wing eventually striking the ground at an acute angle with the aircraft rolling over because of the continued lift engine thrust The loss was attributed to loss of control because the stabilising limits of the three axis autostabilisation system s puffer pipes were exceeded in roll Although airframe damage was relatively light the Centre D Essai en Vol test pilot Jacques Pinier did not eject and died in the crash 3 The aircraft was rebuilt and resumed flight testing on 2 February 1965 4 On 8 September 1965 the aircraft suffered another fatal crash once again while in a low altitude hover The aircraft was being evaluated by United States Air Force Major P E Neale as part of a Franco American information exchange on VTOL programmes Major Neale made an unsuccessful ejection outside the ejection seat s escape envelope The findings of the accident investigation were never made public It was speculated that hydraulic control difficulties coupled with excessive use of the lift engines resulted in fuel starvation and the flameout of all nine engines Once again the damage was not irreparable but this time the aircraft was not rebuilt as flight development of the Mirage IIIV prototype was already underway 4 The Balzac V gained its name from the co incidence of its serial number 001 with the telephone number BALZAC 001 of a well known Paris movie advertising agency 5 Publicite Jean Mineur citation needed Specifications Balzac V EditData from 6 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 13 1 m 43 ft 0 in Wingspan 7 3 m 23 ft 11 in Height 4 6 m 15 ft 1 in Wing area 27 2 m2 293 sq ft Empty weight 6 124 kg 13 501 lb Gross weight 7 000 kg 15 432 lb Powerplant 1 Bristol Siddeley B Or 3 Orpheus turbojet engine 21 57 kN 4 850 lbf thrust for cruise propulsion Powerplant 8 Rolls Royce RB108 1A turbojet engines 9 6 kN 2 200 lbf thrust each for liftPerformance Maximum speed 1 104 km h 686 mph 596 kn at sea level Endurance 15 minutes Wing loading 257 3 kg m2 52 7 lb sq ft Thrust weight 1 12 vertical flight See also Edit France portal Aviation portalRelated development Dassault Mirage III Dassault Mirage IIIVAircraft of comparable role configuration and era EWR VJ 101 Hawker Siddeley Harrier Hawker P 1154 Rockwell XFV 12 Yakovlev Yak 38 Yakovlev Yak 141Related lists List of military aircraft of France List of fighter aircraft List of VTOL aircraftReferences Edit Balzac VTOL Forerunner of the Mirage IIIV Flight International 2 August 1962 pp 174 175 Balzac origines caracteristiques et performances Dassault Aviation World News Balzac Misfortune Flight 16 January 1964 a b Fricker 1993 p 274 Fricker 1993 p 270 Green 1964 p 520 Bibliography EditBreffort Dominique and Andre Jouineau The Mirage III 5 50 and Derivatives from 1955 to 2000 Planes and Pilots 6 Paris Histoire et Collections 2004 ISBN 2 913903 92 4 Buttler Tony and Jean Louis Delezenne X Planes of Europe Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946 1974 Manchester UK Hikoki Publications 2012 ISBN 978 1 902 10921 3 Cuny Jean 1989 Les avions de combat francais 2 Chasse lourde bombardement assaut exploration French Combat Aircraft 2 Heavy Fighters Bombers Attack Reconnaissance Docavia in French Vol 30 Ed Lariviere OCLC 36836833 Fricker John November 1993 Mirage might have beens 2 Balzac Dassault s first VTOL variant Air International Vol 45 no 5 pp 268 274 Green William Macdonald Aircraft Handbook London Macdonald amp Co Publishers Ltd 1964 Perez San Emeterio Carlos Mirage Espejismo de la tecnica y de la politica in Spanish Madrid Armas 30 Editorial San Martin 1978 ISBN 84 7140 158 4 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dassault Balzac V Dassault Balzac at VSTOL org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dassault Balzac V amp oldid 1132347510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
