AEREON 26
Encyclopedia
The AEREON
26 was an experimental aircraft developed to investigate lifting body
design with a view to using its shape to create hybrid designs, part airship
, part conventional aircraft. It was powered by a piston engine, driving a pusher
propeller, and generated lift through the aerodynamics of its lozenge-shaped fuselage.
Although results of flight tests conducted in 1971
were promising, funding for larger and semi-buoyant aircraft was not forthcoming at the time. The story of the test program was recounted by John McPhee
in his book The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed (ISBN 0-374-51635-9). This aircraft has a special place in UFO
and conspiracy
lore, since enthusiasts have drawn parallels between the shape of this aircraft and some reported UFOs from around the same era.
. Completed in 1965, the prototype was lost during taxiing
tests the following year, without having flown.
Following the destruction of the AEREON III, the firm sought "a new and better solution." AEREON's Monroe Drew and John Fitzpatrick employed German physicist Jürgen Bock, formerly of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
, Heidelberg
, Germany, and the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground
, to develop a list of parameters that would be fed into a computer at the General Electric
Space Center, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
, in order to determine "the optimum configuration for enclosing maximum volume without too much penalty of drag." AEREON 26s deltoid configuration, "a shrewd and practical compromise between an airfoil
and a sphere
," was the result of these efforts.
Rubber-powered and gasoline-engined models of the configuration were flown and wind tunnel
tests conducted before testing of the 26 itself began.
of 4:5." Among the advantages claimed for this hull form were proximity of the aerodynamic center, center of buoyancy, and center of gravity and a minimal need for trim-control devices, thus facilitating the transportation of "a full range of tonnages at various speeds without major trim requirements."
In McPhee's words, the craft was "a triangle with a deep belly and a vaulting back" or a "delta
" when seen from above and a "fat and tremendous pumpkin seed" from the side (hence "deltoid pumpkin seed").
The 26's structure was composed of aluminum tubes (salvaged from the wrecked AEREON III), joined using heli-arc welding
and covered with aircraft cloth and aluminum sheet.
. Although the 26 inherited the engine of the AEREON III—apparently a four-cylinder McCulloch of 92 hp—it appears to have had three different propellers over the course of the test program. After the aircraft experienced difficulty in getting out of ground effect
, "a propeller of a different pitch" was fitted. This second propeller was a "virtually unique" example, made of lemonwood, that had been used by Igor Bensen
in an unsuccessful attempt on the autogyro
speed record. After further testing indicated the 26 to be underpowered, a third propeller was carved to order from yellow birch
by the Sensenich Corporation and fitted in time for the 26's second series of flight tests in 1971.
The engine's lifespan also had a significant influence on the program; it was "just a drone-aircraft engine, and an old one at that" and had already been used for 12 hours of its 25-hour design life.
." The portions were then transported by road to Red Lion Airport
, where they were joined together. The aircraft was initially housed in a timber-and-sheetrock box within a hangar at the airport, for reasons of secrecy. Initial taxiing tests were conducted at Red Lion, again under conditions of secrecy. Subsequently, the aircraft was transported by road to the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center
(NAFEC) near Atlantic City
for flight testing.
), at NAFEC on September 7, 1970. However, as discussed above, it was initially unable to climb out of ground effect. By September 28, following the replacement of the propeller and the removal of some items, the 26 was capable of reaching an altitude of 50 feet (15.2 m) but appeared underpowered. The aircraft was returned to Red Lion before being hauled back to NAFEC on February 24, 1971, following the fitting of vortex generators and the third propeller.
Tests resumed at NAFEC on March 1, 1971. On this occasion, the 26 "went up and out of ground effect with no strain at all". In subsequent tests, it performed circuits of the field and a variety of other maneuvers before the engine's life expiry ended the test program.
The Aereon 26 currently resides at the Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87), "sit[ting] quietly in a hangar," with Miller "looking for a home (and philanthropic support)" for the aircraft.
turboprop engines, it would have been capable of carrying intermodal container
s or semi-trailer
s, operating slightly heavier than air. A patent for "[a] cargo-carrying air ship [sic] compris[ing] a gas-filled, low aspect ratio deltoid wing" was granted in 1969; according to this patent, "extremely large ships, having lengths in excess of 1000 feet (304.8 m)" and capable of economically transporting "large payloads, ranging up to 1000 long tons (1,016.1 t) or more" over long distances, were feasible.
In 1974, Miller described three "hypothetical Dynairships":
for general aviation
" and "a bigger model for the regional airline
industry." A variant with a V/STOL
capability, using blown flap
s, was patented in 1979.
Another heavier-than-air variant, later known as the Aereon WASP
, is described in a 1990 patent. This "airborne surveillance antenna platform" with "long endurance and high altitude flight capability" was to carry a radar
antenna comprising "planar or linear phased array
s arranged to scan in a continuous pattern in all azimuthal directions" within its deltoid hull.
AEREON
AEREON is an aircraft manufacturer specialising in unique hybrid airships. It was founded in Princeton, New Jersey in 1959....
26 was an experimental aircraft developed to investigate lifting body
Lifting body
A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as a fuselage with little or no conventional wing...
design with a view to using its shape to create hybrid designs, part airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
, part conventional aircraft. It was powered by a piston engine, driving a pusher
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
propeller, and generated lift through the aerodynamics of its lozenge-shaped fuselage.
Although results of flight tests conducted in 1971
1971 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1971:- Events :* The Peruvian Army reestablishes Peruvian Army Aviation.-January:* January 6 - The United States Marine Corps takes delivery of its first AV-8 Harriers...
were promising, funding for larger and semi-buoyant aircraft was not forthcoming at the time. The story of the test program was recounted by John McPhee
John McPhee
John Angus McPhee is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, widely considered one of the pioneers of creative nonfiction....
in his book The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed (ISBN 0-374-51635-9). This aircraft has a special place in UFO
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
and conspiracy
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
lore, since enthusiasts have drawn parallels between the shape of this aircraft and some reported UFOs from around the same era.
Background
The AEREON Corporation, established in 1959, at first concentrated on the construction of a prototype three-hull hybrid airship, the AEREON IIIAEREON III
The AEREON III was an experimental hybrid airship of rigid construction built by the AEREON Corporation in the early 1960s. Of unconventional design, the airship featured three gas envelopes attached side-by-side, with the connecting structures shaped as airfoils to create extra lift as the craft...
. Completed in 1965, the prototype was lost during taxiing
Taxiing
Taxiing refers to the movement of an aircraft on the ground, under its own power, in contrast to towing or push-back where the aircraft is moved by a tug...
tests the following year, without having flown.
Following the destruction of the AEREON III, the firm sought "a new and better solution." AEREON's Monroe Drew and John Fitzpatrick employed German physicist Jürgen Bock, formerly of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
The Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie is a research institute of the Max Planck Society. It is located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany near the top of the Koenigstuhl, adjacent to the historic Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl astronomical observatory.The institute was founded in...
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany, and the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, to develop a list of parameters that would be fed into a computer at the General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Space Center, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania, United States. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Township of Chester County, but once...
, in order to determine "the optimum configuration for enclosing maximum volume without too much penalty of drag." AEREON 26s deltoid configuration, "a shrewd and practical compromise between an airfoil
Airfoil
An airfoil or aerofoil is the shape of a wing or blade or sail as seen in cross-section....
and a sphere
Sphere
A sphere is a perfectly round geometrical object in three-dimensional space, such as the shape of a round ball. Like a circle in two dimensions, a perfect sphere is completely symmetrical around its center, with all points on the surface lying the same distance r from the center point...
," was the result of these efforts.
Rubber-powered and gasoline-engined models of the configuration were flown and wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
tests conducted before testing of the 26 itself began.
Structure and form
According to a paper delivered to the Interagency Workshop on Lighter than Air Vehicles in 1974 by AEREON president William Miller, the 26's shape—dubbed an "aerobody"—was "a lifting-body [sic] of deltoid planform, elliptical cross-sections, and a fineness ratioFineness ratio
Fineness ratio is a term used in naval architecture and aerospace engineering to describe the overall shape of a streamlined body. Specifically, it is the ratio of the length of a body to its maximum width; shapes that are "short and fat" have a low fineness ratio, those that are "long and skinny"...
of 4:5." Among the advantages claimed for this hull form were proximity of the aerodynamic center, center of buoyancy, and center of gravity and a minimal need for trim-control devices, thus facilitating the transportation of "a full range of tonnages at various speeds without major trim requirements."
In McPhee's words, the craft was "a triangle with a deep belly and a vaulting back" or a "delta
Delta (letter)
Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 4. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Dalet...
" when seen from above and a "fat and tremendous pumpkin seed" from the side (hence "deltoid pumpkin seed").
The 26's structure was composed of aluminum tubes (salvaged from the wrecked AEREON III), joined using heli-arc welding
Gas tungsten arc welding
Gas tungsten arc welding , also known as tungsten inert gas welding, is an arc welding process that uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld...
and covered with aircraft cloth and aluminum sheet.
Propulsion
The 26 was powered by a single engine, mounted above the trailing edge and driving a pusher propellerPusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
. Although the 26 inherited the engine of the AEREON III—apparently a four-cylinder McCulloch of 92 hp—it appears to have had three different propellers over the course of the test program. After the aircraft experienced difficulty in getting out of ground effect
Ground effect
As it pertains to fixed wing aircraft, "ground effect" refers to the increased lift and decreased drag that an aircraft airfoil or wing generates when an aircraft is about one wingspan's length or less over the ground...
, "a propeller of a different pitch" was fitted. This second propeller was a "virtually unique" example, made of lemonwood, that had been used by Igor Bensen
Igor Bensen
Igor Bensen was the founder of the Bensen Aircraft, which produced a successful line of Gyrogliders and Autogyros...
in an unsuccessful attempt on the autogyro
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
speed record. After further testing indicated the 26 to be underpowered, a third propeller was carved to order from yellow birch
Yellow Birch
Betula alleghaniensis , is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, southern Quebec and Ontario, and the southeast corner of Manitoba in Canada, west to Minnesota, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.It is a...
by the Sensenich Corporation and fitted in time for the 26's second series of flight tests in 1971.
The engine's lifespan also had a significant influence on the program; it was "just a drone-aircraft engine, and an old one at that" and had already been used for 12 hours of its 25-hour design life.
Construction and assembly
The 26 was assembled (like its predecessor) by veteran U.S. Navy airship rigger Everett Linkenhoker. Initial construction was in two portions, in "a small shop near Lakehurst, New JerseyLakehurst, New Jersey
Lakehurst is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,654.Lakehurst was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1921, from portions of Manchester Township, based on the results of a...
." The portions were then transported by road to Red Lion Airport
Red Lion Airport
Red Lion Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles south of the central business district of the Vincentown area of Southampton Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The airport is privately owned....
, where they were joined together. The aircraft was initially housed in a timber-and-sheetrock box within a hangar at the airport, for reasons of secrecy. Initial taxiing tests were conducted at Red Lion, again under conditions of secrecy. Subsequently, the aircraft was transported by road to the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center
National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center
The National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center was founded July 1,1958 by the Airways Modernization Board near Atlantic City, New Jersey. On November 1, 1959, after passage of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, it came under the newly created US Federal Aviation Agency...
(NAFEC) near Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
for flight testing.
Flying history
The 26 made its first flight, piloted by John Olcott (later president of the National Business Aviation AssociationNational Business Aviation Association
National Business Aviation Association or NBAA, is a non-profit and nonpartisan 5016 corporation based in Washington, DC, United States. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies....
), at NAFEC on September 7, 1970. However, as discussed above, it was initially unable to climb out of ground effect. By September 28, following the replacement of the propeller and the removal of some items, the 26 was capable of reaching an altitude of 50 feet (15.2 m) but appeared underpowered. The aircraft was returned to Red Lion before being hauled back to NAFEC on February 24, 1971, following the fitting of vortex generators and the third propeller.
Tests resumed at NAFEC on March 1, 1971. On this occasion, the 26 "went up and out of ground effect with no strain at all". In subsequent tests, it performed circuits of the field and a variety of other maneuvers before the engine's life expiry ended the test program.
The Aereon 26 currently resides at the Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87), "sit[ting] quietly in a hangar," with Miller "looking for a home (and philanthropic support)" for the aircraft.
Results of the program
Addressing the Interagency Workshop on Lighter than Air Vehicles in 1974, William Miller said the test program indicated that performance was as had been predicted, the 26's stability and control and handling qualities were "good," the aircraft was "docile and acceptable...within the limited scope of the tests," and the concept had been shown to be feasible, with the program potentially forming a basis for "realistic studies of much larger such aircraft."Dynairships
The aircraft was intended as a forerunner of much larger craft that—unlike the 26 itself—would contain helium; these designs were dubbed "Dynairships." One proposal, the AEREON 340, was to have been 340 feet (103.6 m) long, with a wingspan of 256 feet (78 m) and total lift of 400000 pounds (181,436.9 kg). Powered by four 5500 hp Rolls-Royce TyneRolls-Royce Tyne
|-See also:...
turboprop engines, it would have been capable of carrying intermodal container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
s or semi-trailer
Semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
s, operating slightly heavier than air. A patent for "[a] cargo-carrying air ship [sic] compris[ing] a gas-filled, low aspect ratio deltoid wing" was granted in 1969; according to this patent, "extremely large ships, having lengths in excess of 1000 feet (304.8 m)" and capable of economically transporting "large payloads, ranging up to 1000 long tons (1,016.1 t) or more" over long distances, were feasible.
In 1974, Miller described three "hypothetical Dynairships":
- A "small patrol aircraft" 50 feet (15.2 m) long, with a gross weight of 4000 pounds (1,814.4 kg)
- A "medium-size cargo aircraft" 200 feet (61 m) long, with a gross weight of 270 long tons (274.3 t)
- A "logistic carrier" 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, with a gross weight of 4200 long tons (4,267.4 t).
Heavier-than-air
Versions of the configuration that would, like the 26, have lacked lifting gas and operated heavier-than-air at all times were also proposed. These included "a kind of flying camperRecreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
" and "a bigger model for the regional airline
Regional airline
Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
industry." A variant with a V/STOL
V/STOL
Vertical and/or short take-off and landing is a term used to describe aircraft that are able to take-off or land vertically or on short runways. Vertical takeoff and landing describes craft which do not require runways at all...
capability, using blown flap
Blown flap
Blown flaps are a powered aerodynamic high-lift device invented by the British and used on the wings of certain aircraft to improve low-speed lift during takeoff and landing. The process is sometimes called a boundary layer control system . They were a popular design feature in the 1960s, but fell...
s, was patented in 1979.
Another heavier-than-air variant, later known as the Aereon WASP
Aereon WASP
-References:**...
, is described in a 1990 patent. This "airborne surveillance antenna platform" with "long endurance and high altitude flight capability" was to carry a radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
antenna comprising "planar or linear phased array
Phased array
In wave theory, a phased array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the antennas are varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions.An antenna array...
s arranged to scan in a continuous pattern in all azimuthal directions" within its deltoid hull.