Leduc experimental aircraft

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The Leduc experimental aircraft were a family of ramjet-powered research aircraft designed and built by French engineer René Leduc between 1938 and 1957. Four types were built:

Model 010 was the world's first ramjet-powered aircraft. Designed in 1938, it completed its first powered flight on April 21, 1949 after a protracted, semi-secret construction phase kept at arm's length from German occupation authorities. It could not take off unassisted (ramjets cannot produce thrust at zero airspeed and thus cannot move an aircraft from a standstill) and was dropped at altitude from a carrier aircraft. The 010 reached a top speed of Mach 0.85 and demonstrated the viability of the ramjet as an aviation powerplant, with a rate of climb that exceeded that of the best jet fighters of the time. One was built and was destroyed in a crash in 1951. Another was created in 1952 from Model 016 (see below) and was severely damaged in another crash the following year. Both pilots survived.

Model 016 was a close derivative of the 010 with wingtip-mounted turbojets to enable unassisted take-offs. Only one was built in 1951 and was converted back to 010 standards a few months later after the powerplant synchronization and wing deflection issues caused by the turbojets proved insurmountable.

Model 021 was a stepping stone between the purely experimental 010/016 and the emerging project of a Mach 2 fighter to fill a French Air Force specification. Like the 010, it required the use of a carrier aircraft. Two examples were built and completed a very detailed flight test program from 1953 to 1956 to develop automated, operationally viable throttle controls for the ramjet. Designed for subsonic speeds only, the 021 reached a top speed of Mach 0.95.

Model 022 was the prototype of a Mach 2 fighter. Unlike all previous Leduc aircraft, it featured swept wings and a coaxial turbojet-ramjet powerplant to enable unassisted operation. The 022 first flew in December 1956 yet proved unable to exceed the speed of sound (Mach 1) because of the prohibitive drag induced by its non-area-ruled fuselage at near-sonic speeds. One example was built and another was under construction when the program was cancelled by the French Air Force to the benefit of the Dassault Mirage III. The 022 marked the end of René Leduc's aircraft development activities.

[edit] Specifications

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Leduc 010 Crew:1
Powerplant: 1 19.61kN (4409 lb) Thrust Leduc Thermo propulsive Ramjet
Max Speed: 423 mph
Max Altitude: 55,777 ft
Span: 34 ft. 6in.
Legnth 33 ft. 6in.
Weight: 6173 lb.