Windstar YF-80
| YF-80 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Homebuilt aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Windstar |
The Windstar YF-80 is an American single seat homebuilt replica of the Lockheed F-80.[1]
Design and development[edit]
The YF-80 is a two-thirds scale replica of a Lockheed F-80 or T-33. The aircraft is a composite construction, single engine, low wing design with retractable tricycle landing gear. The tip tanks are removable for aerobatic flight.[2] The aircraft is powered by a Chevy 350 V-8 turbocharged engine driving a turbine thrust section. The thrust section is driven by belts with high gear ratios to drive the turbine closer to the rotational speed it was originally designed for.[3]
The aircraft project was intended to showcase the Davis engine technology with a static prototype displayed in 1977. Burt Rutan was approached to build the composite fuselage, but the US$240,000 cost estimate was declined. Davis attempted to produce a production prototype fuselage for US$80,000. By 1987 the project was not complete, resulting in a court case between investors. The prototype was re-engined with a Turbomeca Marboré II turbine engine as the Stargate YT-33.[4]
Variants[edit]
- Stargate YT-33 (MT-33)
- Turbine powered prototype[5]
Specifications (YF-80)[edit]
Data from Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1978-79[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m)
- Wingspan: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
- Empty weight: 899 lb (408 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,301 lb (590 kg) with internal fuel only
- Fuel capacity: 132.5 liters (35 US gallons)
- Powerplant: 1 × Davis Cold Jet hybrid piston turbine, 220 lbf (0.98 kN) thrust @ 75% power
Performance
- Maximum speed: 261 kn (300 mph, 483 km/h)
- Stall speed: 70 kn (80 mph, 129 km/h) with flaps down
- Range: 425 nmi (490 mi, 788 km) with internal fuel only
- Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
- g limits: +6/-3
- Rate of climb: 2,600 ft/min (13 m/s) with internal fuel only
References[edit]
- ^ Garrison, Peter (November 1977). "Homebuilder Heaven". Flying Magazine. New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Co. pp. 72–74, 133. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ Gallagher, Sheldon M. & Levy, Howard (January 1978). "New homebuilts : Classy looks with a dash of the old days". Popular Mechanics. New York, NY: The Hearst Corporation. pp. 54–56, 116. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ Flight International. 22 August 1977.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ F. Marc de Piolenc & George E. Wright Jr. Ducted Fan Design, Volume 1 (Revised). p. 92.
- ^ "Stargate MT33". Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ^ Taylor, John W R (1978). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1978-79. London: Jane's Yearbooks. p. 552. ISBN 0-35-400572-3.