AVROCAR VZ-9

Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar was a disc-shaped US-Canadian prototype aircraft from the Cold War period. The machine was first flew in 1959, but it did not enter mass production. The propulsion was provided by three Continental J69-T9 turbojet engines with a thrust of 2.9 kN each. The machine was 5.5 meters in diameter and its height was 1.1-1.2 meters. The maximum speed was about 490 km / h. The lead designer of the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar was Jack Frost - an experienced aircraft constructor who contributed significantly to the development of the successful CF-100 Canuck fighter aircraft. The project of the VZ-9 Avrocar was most likely to lead to the creation of an aircraft capable of reaching supersonic speeds and with VTOL properties, that is, capable of vertical take-off and landing. From a very early stage of work, it was also assumed that it would use the so-called Coanda effect. Initially, this secret project was funded by the Canadian government, but the US quickly became responsible for funding it. Unfortunately, in the course of the first Avro Canada tests, the VZ-9 Avrocar showed considerable instability in flight, and even worse - terrible performance compared to the assumed one. These factors led to the cancellation of the project as early as 1961.