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Members of the Avro Canada Special Projects Group by Avrocar. Avro Canada An early overhead view of Avrocar. Avro Canada ings of 927 lb (4.12KN) static thrust were use to drive a centrally located 5ft (1.52m) diarr eter fan by means of their exhaust. Most of this exhaust gas was then directe: through chambers to nozzles around th periphery of the craft to provide lift an motion. The 2,780rpm rotor spin was als: expected to provide a degree of gyroscopi stabilisation and dampen pitch and ro motions. Provision was made for tw crewmembers and range was initially calcu lated at 100 miles (160km) with a 2,000] (907kg) payload stored in the rear bay. The US Army had been sold the idea of compact air-jeep, which could hover like . helicopter and reach 300mph (482km/h) 10,000ft (3,048m), but Avrocar never eve) came close to fulfilling this expectation. I) fact the VZ-9AV Avrocar tested at Maltoi ings of 927 Ib (4.12KN) static thrust were used to drive a centrally located 5ft (1.52m) diam- eter fan by means of their exhaust. Most of this exhaust gas was then directed through chambers to nozzles around the periphery of the craft to provide lift and motion. The 2,780rpm rotor spin was also expected to provide a degree of gyroscopic stabilisation and dampen pitch and _ roll motions. Provision was made for two crewmembers and range was initially calcu- lated at 100 miles (160km) with a 2,000Ib (907kg) payload stored in the rear bay. The US Army had been sold the idea of a compact air-jeep, which could hover like a helicopter and reach 300mph (482km/h) at 10,000ft (3,048m), but Avrocar never even came close to fulfilling this expectation. In fact the VZ-9AV Avrocar tested at Malton proved to be nothing more than an incredibly noisy hovercraft which performed badly dur- ing tethered and free flight trials. Neverthe- less, it is hard to believe that John Frost and T Desmond Ear! didn’t realise there were seri- ous deficiencies with this design long before designation), although the USAF continued to handle the development programme. The small Avrocar was 18ft (5.49m) in diameter, 3ft (0.91m) high and it weighed 5,6501b (2,562kg). Three symmetrically disposed Continental J-69 turbojets with individual rat- The VZ-9AV Avrocar had been under devel- opment for two years and many of its features were adapted from earlier discplane engi- neering studies. The USAF’s original WS-606A Avrocar project had now given way to a new concept for the US Army (hence the VZ-9AV 76 Members of the Avro Canada Special Projects Group by Avrocar. Avro Canada Secret Projects: Flying Saucer Aircraft