Airplanes

Airplanes

Lockheed Vega

Lockheed Vega is an airplane that was manufactured by Lockheed Aircraft limited in 1927 for purposes of transport, especially commercial transport. Its first flight was on July the 4^th of 1927. It was flown by a pilot named Amelia Earhart. This airplane is famous because it attracted so many renowned pilots including Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly the Atlantic alone using this model.

The Lockheed Vega was designed by John Knudsen Northrop and Gerrard Vultee. It was designed for six passengers. The two designers initially aimed at making a four sitter airplane. The airplane was designed to be the fastest and rugged. They used the latest types and designs like monocoque in fuselages; this was made of plywood sheets that were fitted on ribs made of wood. One of every fuselages shell was put together using glue and mould of concrete. It was then compacted using a bladder filled with air. This made it achieve the required shape. The designers would later fix together the two halves of fuselages using nails and glue on a framework rib. This also necessitated the need for a clear wing spar. Therefore a spar of cantilever was mounted on top of this airplane. It was also designed to be powered by Wright Whirlwind making 168 kW.

They also use of one of the best engines models of the time, and wings of cantilever. This is what made them succeed in their design and objective. It became the fastest airplane of the time. On performance, the Lockheed Vaga delivered on a cruise speed of 120 mph with a top speed of 135mph. The aircraft carried four passengers and a pilot. The vega also became famous after winning all the speed races of 1928 that were held in Cleveland.

The manufacturers felt that the four passenger load was inadequate for the purpose of which the Lockheed Vaga was designed. They therefore improved its power by adding a wasp engine with 336 kW (Pratt and Whitney R-1340). This allowed for the addition of two seats. The designers also added NACA cowling which heightened the cruising speed to 155mph with top speed of 165mph.

This aircraft was majorly purchased for private aviation, for executives and for the military. The military preferred the C-17 model that had an additional tank fixed in its wings. By the end of 1929 a total of 64 Vegas were made. The major problem with this model of aircraft was its difficulties in landing. According to Smith (94), the Vaga had limited forward and side visibility.

Lockheed Vaga has evolved over the years from the Vega 1 which carried five sitters and a pilot to Vega DL-1B a seven-seat aircraft which is meat for higher weight flying. The aircraft is today adopted by major military personnel including the United States Air Corps for quick service and for evaluations. It can therefore be argued that the Vega was a good foundation for the modern day aircraft. It is said to improve the general speed of modern aircraft since this model was the fastest of its kind.

Flying wing YB-49

The Flying wing YB-49 was an aircraft that was manufactured by the Northrop Corporation in 1947. It was meant for military purposes in the United States especially by the air force. It was sleek and an aerodynamic model of an aircraft. The Fling wing YB-49 was designed inform of a flying wing by the Northrop corporation. It was designed by Jack Northrop and had its first time of flight on October 21, 1947. According to Pape and John, the YB-49 was specifically designed for strategic military bombings (238). It could fly at a height of 40,000 feet for as long as six and a half hours. This airplane was a development on the earlier version of Northrop model XB-35 as well as YB-35 (Winchester 12). The two earlier versions used piston engines which proved very efficient. The Flying wing YB-49 was just made as a test airplane. By 1944 the age of piston driven aircraft engines was over hence the cancellation of YB-49 mass production.

However, two YB-49 airplanes that were jet-propelled were nevertheless manufactured for the air force (Pattillo 185). The aircraft had good performance in military bombings. The YB-49 aircraft needed long run of bomb in disorienting the course oscillations. This therefore means that it did not have an opportunity to enter the manufacturing industry since it was overtaken by more sophisticated models for example the Convair B-36 peacemaker. These new designs were also driven by piston engines. The airplane had high speed due to its smart low-pull ability. This made it the best diver aircraft.

There has also been a claim that there was intentional sabotage of the manufacture of this model, for instance the deliberate decision not to replace its oil by the Wright during the flight from Muroc to Adrews that made the airplane have its eight engines closed forcing it to make an emergency landing. An YB-49 was also destroyed in the Muroc top speed race due to wheels vibration and eventual fire break that completely destroyed it. This was also seen as sabotage of the model.

The development of the YB-49 is a valuable foundation of the aircraft industry today. This is because some modern models like the B-2 bomber aircraft that was manufactured in 1990s. The YB-49 is also credited in helping in the cracking of the sound barrier by Chuck Yeager using a Bell X-1 model. Chuck used a derivative of the YB-49 that was the Boeing B-29. The B-35 models were also manufactured from the YB-35. Another model that is derived from the YB-49 is the YRB-49A and hence RB-49A aircraft. These had more capacity tanks for oil on the wings something that destroyed the YB-49 sleek appearance. However its oil capacity made it more efficient. Another modern derivative is the B-2 Spirit. One major shortfall of YB-49 is speculated as disproportion pullout loads put on the airframe ending up in quick elevated speed hence the plane can experience nose-over jumps.

In conclusion, both the Lockheed Vegas and the YB-49 are airplane models that formed a foundation for the modern airplanes. The technology applied in the design and manufacture of these planes has greatly impacted on the modern day aircraft technology. Although some of these designs did not reach the mass manufacture age like the Lockheed Vegas, their technological ability was a stepping stone to more sophisticated designs. The Lockheed Vegas design has been widely used by the passenger airlines while the YB-40 design derivatives have been widely used by the military in the air force.

Works cited

Pape, Garry and John Campbell. Northrop Flying Wings: A History of Jack Northrop’s Visionary Aircraft. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1995. ISBN 0-88740-689-0. p.238

Pattillo, Donald M. “Pushing the Envelope: The American Aircraft Industry”. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2001. ISBN 0-472-086715. p.185

Smith, Elinor. Aviatrix. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1981.ISBN 0-15-110372-0 p.94

Winchester, Jim. “Northrop XB-35/YB-49” Concept Aircraft: Prototypes, X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft. Kent, UK: Grange Books plc. 2005. ISBN 978-1-84013-809-2. p.12