Lockheed Vega

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 06/29/2016 at 12:07 • Filed to: planelopnik

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Originally designed as an airliner, the Lockheed Vega was one of the great planes of the Golden Age of Aviation in the 192os and 1930s, renowned for its speed and range. It was the preferred aircraft for record setters of the era, and swept the speed category in the 1932 National Air Races in Cleveland. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! flew a modified Vega on her solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932, and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! took his Vega Winnie Mae around the world twice, the second time on a solo flight, and set a record time for fixed-wing circumnavigation of just 7 days. He also flew his Vega to 50,000 feet while developing the first practical pressure suit for pilots. You can read more about this amazing aircraft in July 5th’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! post.

Wiley Post with “Winnie Mae” at Floyd Bennet Field in New York

Post and his navigator Harold Gatty, separated by a huge fuel tank

Amelia Earhart in Ireland after her transatlantic flight

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 06/29/2016 at 12:14

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One of the coolest things about this thing was the way it was built.
http://papers.sae.org/280066/

Pretty damn ingenious. All the monocoque benefits and nowhere near the labour expenditure there would normally be. And of course it makes it look gorgeous as well.

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/29/2016 at 12:17

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Yup. Amazing how it presaged modern composite construction. Later Vegas had metal fuselages, though.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 06/29/2016 at 12:19

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Didn’t know that. I thought the metal Vega (derivatives) started at Northrop when he split from Lockheed.

X37.9XXS > ttyymmnn 06/29/2016 at 12:21

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This was back when Lockheed built real airplanes

Today, not so much

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/29/2016 at 12:22

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That may well be true. I haven't up into that aspect of the Vega. But I've got plenty of time before next Tuesday!

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/29/2016 at 12:30

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Based on what I just turned up, as many as 10 Vega 5C aircraft were built by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation with a metal fuselage, though they retained the original wooden wings. I haven’t found any mention of Jack Northrop being involved, though.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 06/29/2016 at 12:51

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I’d imagine he’d already gone his own way by that time.

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/29/2016 at 13:10

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Northrop was with Lockheed from 1927-1929, so yes, he was probably gone by then.

ttyymmnn > X37.9XXS 06/29/2016 at 13:13

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Ah, the F-35, everybody’s favorite whipping boy. I suspect that the F-35 will eventually be vindicated, but nobody seems to have any patience with the development of entirely new aircraft. Still, it’s hard to swallow all the money that’s been spent. However, I read recently that F-15E Strike Eagles were unable to down F-35s in simulated combat, though details are lacking.

ttyymmnn > X37.9XXS 06/29/2016 at 13:14

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BTW, the Dr.1 will make an appearance in the same post as the Vega next week.

f86sabre > ttyymmnn 06/29/2016 at 13:51

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I’ve always like the Winnie Mae’s paint job.

ttyymmnn > f86sabre 06/29/2016 at 14:12

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It’s classic, and the fact that he painted his records on the side is just awesome. This a/c just screams 1930s. I love it.