XC-142A

The unique four-engine XC-142A was jointly developed by the firms LTV (Vought), Ryan, and Hiller at the request of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) as a transport vehicle. It was the last in the “C” series of transport aircraft created for the USAF since 1945. The USAF decided to redefine this class of aircraft and, from 1962, begin a new series, assigning the designation C-1 to the first aircraft. The XC-142A was intended for rapid delivery of soldiers and cargo to unprepared landing zones in any weather.

Revolutionary Tilt-Wing Design

Despite its somewhat altered proportions compared to traditional aircraft, the XC-142A resembled a conventional transport plane. Its entire wing, which housed four General Electric T-64-1 turboprop engines (2850 hp/2094 kW each), could rotate from its normal horizontal position to a fully vertical position (90 degrees).

The engines were interconnected by a shaft, allowing all four main and one auxiliary propeller to rotate even if only one engine was operating. A synchronous mechanism ensured the wing could rotate up to a maximum of 106 degrees, and as the wing lifted, the horizontal stabilizer deflected downwards.

Balance and control of the aircraft at low speeds were managed by a tail rotor located in the horizontal plane. In horizontal flight, the middle engines could be deactivated. A special instrument provided data for the control system, depending on the wing’s angle. The machine’s nose featured a two-seater pilot’s cockpit equipped with ejection seats.

Flight Testing and Performance

The first flight of the XC-142A occurred on September 29, 1964, and was successful, performing much better than many other tiltrotors. During testing, the aircraft demonstrated impressive speed characteristics: a forward flight speed of 644 km/h and a reverse speed of 56 km/h.

Legacy and Future Applications

Although five of these aircraft were built, serial production was never launched. For such tasks, it proved more economical to develop heavier, high-speed helicopters. Subsequently, the aircraft prototype was utilized in NASA’s test programs.

Technical Specifications

Modification	XC-142
Wingspan, m	20.57
Length, m	17.73
Height, m	7.82
Wing area, m2	78.40
Empty weight	10984
Maximum takeoff weight	18824
Engine type	4 Turboprop General Electric T-64-1
Power, hp	4 x 2850
Maximum speed, km/h	694
Cruising speed, km/h	378
Practical range, km	1320
Practical ceiling, m	7620
Crew	3
Payload	32 soldiers or 3630 kg of cargo

Image and diagram gallery of the XC-142A

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C-142	C-142
C-142	C-142
C-142	C-142