1/72 Doak VZ-4DA Archaeopteryx of tilt-ducts VTOL

Anigrand Craftswork - 1/72 Doak VZ-4DA Archaeopteryx of tilt-ducts VTOL. The Doak Model 16 was the first aircraft to demonstrate the tilt duct concepart In 1956, U.S. Army ordered a prototype, indicated VZ-4DA. The configuration was the tilting duct blower where located at each wing tip, pointing vertical for take off and landing, and rotated to the horizontal for forward flight. Engine exhaust was deflected at the fuselage rear for pitch control. To limit the development costs, it used many old parts, such as the landing gear from a Cessna 182, seats from a F-51, duct actuators from Lockheed T-33 electric flap motors, and the rudder mechanism from other Doak aircraft. The first flight was performed in 1958. After a year of tests, U.S. Army accepted the VZ-4 and passed it to Nasa for further tests. In 1961, Doak ended his business and sold all the patent rights and engineering files to Douglas Aircraft. Although Douglas had ideas to improve the VZ-4, but without proposed well to the Army. VZ-4 remained in Nasa until 1972. Then it was transferred to the U.S. Army Transportation Command Museum