Fri, Jan 23, 2004
World's First Tiltrotor Aircraft Returns To Texas
History rolled into
Bell Helicopter's Flight Research Center at Arlington Municipal
Airport on Thursday when a tractor trailer loaded with ancient
aircraft parts and pieces was eagerly greeted by Bell employees and
retirees. The precious cargo contained the parts of the Bell
XV-3, the world's first successful tiltrotor aircraft.
Over the next two years, Bell employees and volunteers will
restore the aircraft to museum quality display condition. Bell
Helicopter will keep the XV-3 in Fort Worth, until 2008, when the
historic plane goes on permanent display at the U.S. Air Force
Museum, Wright-Patterson A.F.B.,(OH). Bell officials pointed out
while the XV-3 will never fly again; it remains an important part
of America's aviation heritage.
Built by Bell in 1954 in Fort Worth under a joint Army/Air Force
contract, the XV-3 successfully demonstrated the concept that by
rotating its outboard prop-rotors up or down, the aircraft could
take off and land vertically like a traditional helicopter as well
as fly with the high-speed and range of a fixed wing
airplane.
From 1955 through 1959,
the Bell XV-3 graced the skies over Dallas and Fort Worth, proving
conclusively the value of tiltrotor technology. Following the
flight test program, the XV-3 was turned over to the Army, which
has stored the dis-assembled aircraft at the Army Aviation Museum,
Fort Rucker,(AL).
Bell's follow-on tiltrotor aircraft after the XV-3, was the
twin-engine turbine powered XV-15, which is on permanent display at
The National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center,
Chantilly, Virginia.
The XV-3 restoration project will take place near where the
first V-22 tiltrotor aircraft were built and test flown as well as
where the newest and first civil tiltrotor, the BA609, is being
developed.
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