The X-13 was developed in the 1950s, at a time when aerospace research was perhaps at its most fervent.
The Ryan X-13 Vertijet was an experimental aircraft built to test vertical takeoffs and landings from a distinct tail-sitting position—which looked more like a space shuttle sitting on the launch pad than an aircraft sitting on a runway.
Conditioning has led us all to expect traditionally configured aircraft to take off and land horizontally. That is, to takeoff by accelerating down a runway before “rotating” and gradually climbing away from Earth, or to land by sinking gradually to a runway and decelerating along a runway. It’s the way each and every commercial flight operates and the way the vast majority of military flights operate. But of course, there are exceptions. The AV-8B Harrier, for example, can take off and land vertically. The F-35B, too, can take off and land vertically. How? Through the combination of a lift fan located near the front of the fuselage and a swiveling engine nozzle, each of which can project thrust downward with sufficient force to gradually lift, or gradually lower, the aircraft. The X-13 operated a little bit differently, however; the X-13 operated without a lift fan, and thus more like a traditional aircraft, albeit one that had been placed on its tail, with its nose pointing straight into the sky prior to takeoff.
Remembering the X-13
The X-13 was developed in the 1950s, at a time when aerospace research was perhaps at its most fervent, to research whether an aircraft could take off vertically, transition to horizontal flight, and then land again vertically. Ryan only made two prototypes.
Measuring 23.5 feet long, the X-13 was barely long enough to accommodate a single-seat cockpit and a single Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet, which provided 10,000 pounds of thrust. So, in many respects, the X-13 was a very simple aircraft. The high-mounted delta wings had a stunted wingspan of only 21 feet and were capped with flat endplates. In all, the X-13’s wing area measured 191 square feet. The nose of the X-13 had a special, added feature: it featured a hook and a short pole on the underside. The hook was used to hang the jet from a vertical trailer bed, from which the X-13 would take off. The short pole, meanwhile, was used to allow the pilot to gauge distance from the trailer bed when landing.
The first X-13 prototype was built with traditional tricycle landing gear and flown conventionally (horizontal takeoff and landing), just to confirm the jet was aerodynamically sound. After the initial test flight was successful enough, the prototype was reconfigured for tail-sitting operations. Another limited test was flown, to gauge the X-13’s hovering capabilities. When the hovering test went successfully, a full-cycle flight was scheduled. On April 11, 1957, the X-13 took off vertically from its mobile trailer, pushed over into a horizontal attitude, and flew for several minutes. Then, the X-13 returned to vertical flight and carefully landed back on its trailer.
The concept was proven.
But the Air Force, without an operational need for a VTOL aircraft, chose not to pursue further development of the X-13. The two prototypes are still on display today—standing nose-up, as proof that an aircraft can take off from its tail.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Images: Wikimedia Commons.
