Curtiss-Wright VZ-7
Curtiss-Wright · United States · first flew 1958 · light aircraft
The Curtiss-Wright VZ-7 was a US Army experimental VTOL platform that used four jet engines arranged to exhaust downward, providing thrust-borne lift and directional control through differential throttling.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Four jets exhausting downward through a flat platform body |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Ducted-fan VTOL flying platform with no conventional wings
- Four jets exhausting downward through a flat platform body
- Open pilot's station on flat rectangular fuselage
Appears as a flat rectangular platform with four jet nozzles pointed downward, lacking any conventional fuselage, tail, or fixed wings, making it unlike any other aircraft of the period.
Specifications
- The Curtiss-Wright VZ-7 has a length of 5.18 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 3.96 m (13 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 51 km/h (32 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Tested from 1958 under the US Army's VTOL research programme, the VZ-7 demonstrated stable hovering flight but its extremely low maximum forward speed made it impractical for any realistic military role, and the Army returned it to Curtiss-Wright in 1960.
Variants
One prototype was completed; the programme produced no follow-on designs.
Where you'll see it
Used exclusively for US Army flight evaluation; never entered operational service.
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