• Source: Vought V-326

The Vought V-326 (alternatively Vought-Sikorsky VS-326) was an American experimental aircraft used by Pratt & Whitney as a high altitude engine test bed.




Design and development


Vought began work on the V-326 in 1941 at the request of Pratt & Whitney. Designed as a test bed for the R-4360 Wasp Major radial engine, the aircraft was based on the XTBU-1 Sea Wolf and used components from the F4U Corsair. The V-326 was a low-wing monoplane with a pressurized two-seat cockpit. Its main landing gear rotated 90 degrees and retracted rearward into the wings. In the rear fuselage was a compartment for ballast. The engine's carburetor was fed by a scoop situated ahead of the vertical stabilizer.




Operational history


The V-326 made its first flight on June 18, 1943 at the hands of P&W chief test pilot A. Lewis McClain. Harold B. Archer flew most subsequent flights, with pressurization troubles keeping most flights below 40,000 feet (12,000 m).
The second aircraft, the V-326A, made its first and only flight on August 30, 1944. It subsequently underwent modifications, though they were not completed as the need for the aircraft faded. Both aircraft were scrapped in 1946, the V-326 having only 111 hours logged.




Variants


V-326
First aircraft with a deep cowling enclosing the supercharger and a three-bladed propeller.
V-326A
Second aircraft with a tight cowling, intakes under the wings feeding the twin superchargers, and a four-bladed propeller.




Specifications (V-326)


Data from General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 43 ft 0 in (13.1 m)
Wingspan: 57 ft 10 in (17.6 m)
Height: 19 ft 4 in (5.9 m)
Empty weight: 11,242 lb (5,099 kg)
Gross weight: 17,176 lb (7,791 kg)
Fuel capacity: 700 US gallons (2,600 L)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 28-cylinder four-row radial piston engine
Propellers: 3-bladed
Performance

Maximum speed: 418 mph (673 km/h, 363 kn)




See also



Related development

Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf
Vought F4U Corsair
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Folland Fo.108

Related lists

List of experimental aircraft




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Daftar pesawat eksperimental
• Vought V-326
• Vought
• Vought F4U Corsair
• Vought SB2U Vindicator
• Vought V-173
• Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf
• Vought O2U Corsair
• Vought V-141
• Vought F7U Cutlass
• Vought XF5U