Ryan XV-5 Vertifan

Ryan Aeronautical · United States · first flew 1964 · fighter

The Ryan XV-5 Vertifan was an experimental VTOL jet aircraft that used large lift fans embedded in the wings and nose to provide vertical lift, rather than tilting rotors or directed thrust. It was powered by two General Electric J85 turbojets.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.56 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

VTOL jet with lift fans embedded in wings
Two GE J85 turbojets plus three embedded lift fans
Low-wing research aircraft with retractable undercarriage

A small jet aircraft with two large circular fan apertures visible in the wings and one in the nose — these inlet/fan covers are the most distinctive feature; otherwise the aircraft resembles a small swept-wing jet trainer.

Specifications

The Ryan XV-5 Vertifan has a length of 13.56 m (44 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.09 m (30 ft).
Its maximum speed is 880 km/h (547 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1964, the XV-5A underwent a prolonged test programme for the US Army. One prototype was lost in a fatal crash in 1965; the surviving aircraft was modified to the XV-5B standard with an improved ejection seat and cockpit. The programme ended without production.

Variants

Two XV-5A aircraft were built; one was later modified to XV-5B standard after the fatal 1965 accident. No production variants were built.

Where you'll see it

A purely experimental USAF/US Army research aircraft, the XV-5 demonstrated the lift-fan VTOL concept but the technology was not mature enough for operational use in the 1960s.

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