1958 F-100 USES SHORT "RUNWAY"

F-100 makes experimental rocket assisted take off from roof of a truck.
Indian Springs, NV - Project ZELL (Zero Length Launch Pilot-Al Blackburn (National Archives)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• aviation
• space
• USAF
• F-100
• NF-100
• Super
• Sabre
• Nellis
• Indian
• Springs
• NV
• ZELL
• ZLL
• Rocket

[pdutube]

Many drinks into the evening.

Engineer: "Jets are weak. Rockets are the future. I have an idea."

... scribble scribble scribble ...

Pilot: "Dude I can fly that."

[zzddytt]

problem here is that, 1 you probably can't fly with full payload, and 2, if you don't have a runway for take off, you are likely not gonna have one for landing as well. BIG problem for the pilots.

[KillPyrite]

50 year later..... they changed the jets to have their own built in vertical take off option...

[jetpoweredgriffin]

First of all, the Russians were doing this,too, at the same time. Who was first? Who cares? Secondly, the Astrodyne unit used here produced well over 100,000lbs. of boost (so I read,at any rate). I don't think payload limitations were much of a concern. Compare it to those on a C-130. See the difference in the size of the unit and the exhaust?

[jackhemphill1]

@datzfast which is why the harrier, as a bitchin 5 ton anvil of pointed british justice, became so popular, and was adopted by several air-forces. but nothing against the sabre or for that matter any excellent american jet, its just this particular idea didn't work out. we in the uk are very proud of our jump jet, sadly to be retired next year after 40 years of service

[jackhemphill1]

@datzfast if you will let me correct you there old boy, the harrier was designed in 2 variants; the harrier gr1, for the RAF and was designed to operate from parking lots in west germany against the russians, and the sea harrier, for our small aircraft harriers. both these proved themselves as excellent and war-winning aircraft during the falklands. so well in fact that america indeed build their own for the usmc. and finally it doesnt need to find a runway to land, which the sabre does

[datzfast]

@jack hemphill 1 were you asleep , with this concept the aircraft may take of with any fuel load any bomb load desirable. something an english harrier can never do at any time. what good is a harrier if a carrier is needed to take it to the war zone? i suppose if your attacking an island that works rather well. next time we need to invade england we will consider the harrier. pip pip and a bloody cheerio to you mate.

[datzfast]

bomb damaged run way can be fixed in 15 minutes with new fast cure concrete. it was never really goona be for damaged runways it was always a first strike into russia with the nuclear package

[DumbYankies]

hmmm... now im thinking why was this idea not continued. The problem with harriers (or probably F35 VTOL mode) is that you need a ski jump and 200m of deck to get them airborne rather than chewing buckets of fuel going vertical. Why not avoid both those problems by quickly attaching your RATO monstrosity and blasting off instead. So take off ZEL style and land vertical and with full payload. Convert any merchantman into a carrier with ZEL launchers.....

[theCookieMonster9999]

@zzddytt who cares if the russians are coming

[KlunkerRider]

The whole point of the ZELL program was to get front-line fighter aircraft into the air faster than the Ruskies could drop a sneak attack nuke on them, if the concept panned out, but as mentioned, continued successfull ICBM tests eventually spelled the end for this idea, but it must have been one hellova ride up!