American converter plane Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey US Navy COBI 5836 - Armed Forces

You know that:

• After the failed Eagle Claw hostage liberation operation in 1980, the U.S. Marine Corps headquarters described requirements for a new aircraft that would combine the advantages of a helicopter and a conventional aircraft with high ballistic protection.
• The following year, two major US companies, Boeing and Bell, joined forces to work together on a programme called JVX.
• The result was the first and unique machine to combine the advantages of vertical take-off and landing with long-range range.
• The first prototype was built quickly, but many flaws became apparent during testing and the aircraft had to be rebuilt repeatedly. No engineer had experience in designing an aircraft with turning rotors and everything was built from scratch.
• A successful first flight took place on 19 March 1989 and shortly afterwards serial production began, which is still running today.
• The great advantage of the V-22 converter plane is its foldability, as the wings and propeller blades can be folded parallel to the fuselage in 90 seconds, and it is a fascinating spectacle.
• The V-22 is an extremely difficult aircraft to pilot and more than 11 crashes have been recorded in which 30 people have died. For this reason, the converter plane is not allowed to carry the President of the United States, members of the government, and persons important to the operation of the state.
• The production cost of one machine is approximately 55 834 000 €.
• The production of convertibles is still going on and more than 400 have been produced so far.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: wing span 14 m, length 17.5 m, height 6.73 m
• rotor diameter 11,6 m
• take-off weight 21 500 kg (27 400 kg max.)
• power units 2x Rolls-Royce T406 turboshaft engines each with 4 590 kW
• maximum speed 508 km/h
• range 1 628 km
• maximum flight level 7 925 m
• climb rate 16,2 m/s
• crew 3 
• capacity 32 soldiers, or 9 070 kg cargo