 jeaton01 wrote: |
| Quite likely the Osprey benefited from the work on the gearbox problems that were a main issue with all the XT-40 powered aircraft. |
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There were in actuality two different VTO planes on that contract. Cannot remember much about the other one. The Pogo used the TF-40 (I think) engine with an extra gear box for the counter rotating props. I think the step down transmission was built by Allison, and the counter rotating gearbox was from Aeroproducts (they also did the XP-75). The props were huge for the time, and suspect the gearbox was similar to the one on the XP-75, and never intended to handle that kinda power. Later on Aeroproducts was closed and Allison took over the manufacture of props and and all the associated equipment in the nose.
What was learned from that project evolved into the TF-56 gas turbine. This is known as one of the most reliable engines ever made. Might add here that at onetime there was even an experimental counter rotating prop set for the C-130 in the works and some sort of eight or ten bladed thing. There were even a couple M-1 tanks built using an Allison gas turbine due to problems with the AVCO engine. That Pogo was parked about a hundred feet away from an M-46 tank that had about two miles on the odometer.
gary