Monograph

The History of

The XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft
From Concept to Flight

Martin D. Maisel • Demo J. Giulianetti • Daniel C. Dugan

NASA SP-2000-4517

The History of the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft: From Concept to Flight

Martin D. Maisel Demo J. Giulianetti and Daniel C. Dugan

Monographs in Aerospace History #17 The NASA History Series National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Policy and Plans NASA History Division Washington, D.C. 2000

Contents
Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Forewords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Early Efforts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 XV-3 Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 NASA-Army Cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Building the Technology Base. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft Project Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Aircraft Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Navy

Bibliography: of the Apollo Program. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 2, 1994). Launius, Roger D. Apollo: A Retrospective Analysis. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 3, 1994). Hansen, James R. Enchanted Rendezvous: John C. Houbolt and the Genesis of the Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous Concept. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 4, 1995). Gorn, Michael H. Hugh L. Dryden’s Career in Aviation and Space. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 5, 1996). Powers, Sheryll Goecke. Women in Aeronautical Engineering at the Dryden Flight Research Center, 1946-1994. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 6, 1997). Portree, David S.F. and Trevino, Robert C. Compilers. Walking to Olympus: A Chronology of Extravehicular Activity (EVA). (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 7, 1997). Logsdon, John M. Moderator. The Legislative Origins of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958: Proceedings of an Oral History Workshop. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 8, 1998). Rumerman, Judy A. Compiler. U.S. Human Spaceflight: A Record of Achievement, 1961-1998. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 9, 1998). Portree, David S.F. NASA’s Origins and the Dawn of the Space Age. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 10, 1998). Logsdon, John M. Together in Orbit: The Origins of International Cooperation in the Space Station Program. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 11, 1998). Phillips, W. Hewitt. Journey in Aeronautical Research: A Career at NASA Langley Research Center. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 12, 1998). Braslow, Albert L. A History of Suction-Type Laminar-Flow Control with Emphasis on Flight Research. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 13, 1999). Logsdon, John M. Moderator. Managing the Moon Program: Lessons Learned from Project Apollo. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 14, 1999). 193 Perminov, V.G. The Difficult Road to Mars: A Brief History of Mars Exploration in the Soviet Union. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 15, 1999). Tucker, Tom. Touchdown: The Development of Propulsion Controlled Aircraft at NASA Dryden. (Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 16, 1999). Those monographs still in print are available free of charge from the NASA History Division, Code ZH, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 20546. Please enclose a self-addressed 9x12” envelope stamped for 15 ounces for these items. 194 National Aeronautics and Space Administration