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| Faced with the military requirement for a quiet observation aircraft, Lockheed developed the two-seat Q-Star. Two QT-2s flew in August 1967 and were fitted subsequently with night sensors and taken to Vietnam for evaluation under operational conditions.
Potential of the Q-Star was such that Lockheed produced the refined YO-3A version for the US Army, still based on the Schweizer SGS 2-32 sail-plane but with low wings and the wing roots
extended forward to accommodate the retractable landing gear. Power was provided by a heavily modified 156.5kW Continental flat-six engine. The YO-3A was deployed in Vietnam for more than a year.
| CREW | 2 |
| ENGINE | 1 x Cont. IO-360, 154kW |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 17.4 m | 57 ft 1 in |
| Length | 9.2 m | 30 ft 2 in |
| Wing area | 17.0 m2 | 182.99 sq ft |
| Jim Scheffler, e-mail, 31.01.2010 23:19 I was stationed at Soc Trang Army Airfield from December, 1967 to March,1968 with the 212th MP Co Sentry Dog unit. Our headquarters was located right off of the end of the runway. I remember one night being in a bunker next to our kennel, which was a very noisy spot when conventional aircraft were taking off, and catching a fleeting glance at a strange, nearly silent aircraft just leaving the runway. We didn't know what it was exactly, but assumed it was some type of new, hi tech surveillance aircraft. Pretty impressive, in retrospect. Nice website! reply | | John Quinzio, e-mail, 27.01.2010 03:12 In the early '70's the FBI obtained one of these aircraft from the Fish & Game in Louisiana(I believe). They flew it over Wounded Knee as recon platform and other survielance missions The pilot was Agent Vance Duffy. I flew as an observer in the same plane in 1973 or 1974 over the Los Angeles Basin to evaluate the night vision capability in an urban setting. We flew out of Los Alamitos. reply | | Les Scates, CWO, U.S. Army (Re, e-mail, 08.12.2009 04:06 Two of these planes were flown out of Soc Trang Army Airfield, Soc Trang, Vietnam from late 1968 into 1969. They shared a hanger with the 336th Assault Helicopter Company. While they were there the bay that they occupied was curtained off with heavy canvas and the planes were covered. They flew only at night. And yes, they were very quiet. reply | | EEHall, e-mail, 25.11.2009 21:27 What makes the prop on the YO3 so quiet? It the engine mod itself or the prop? reply | |
| | MG, e-mail, 09.10.2009 08:37 SWEET WINGS reply | | Pat Doyle, e-mail, 01.10.2009 04:11 One of these aircraft was converted back to a SGS 2-32 by Bruce Miller owner of The Cloud Base. He has passed on and the glider operation is now called Mile High Gliding in Boulder CO. The glider flys every day. reply | | Gary Kagel, e-mail, 30.07.2009 19:47 I just did some Internet searching and I found the web site www.yo-3a.com /home.html On it there is a pic of many involved w /YO3-A's including the guy I knew. Richard (Dick) Osbourne. Anyone know him tell him I said "Hello" reply | | Gary Kagel, e-mail, 30.07.2009 19:22 In the early 80's I worked as a technician at Flushing Arpt. in N.Y.C. for a company that flew SNJ-2's. We had a pilot that flew part time with us who owned and had there at Flushing arpt. a YO-3A. He told us it was the exact A /C that he flew in Vietnam. He even had mission footage taken in flight. I can not remember his name. I wonder if anyone knows what happen to him or the aircraft. At that time it was not flyable but he was restoring it in his spare time /money. it wasn't in bad condition, just had pieces removed and out for work. It was all in light gray primer. If this rings any bells for anyone I would love to hear about it. reply |
| Mike Kelly, e-mail, 15.07.2009 17:35 Hi Guys,
I was stationed at Long Thanh North in 1971, and flew the U-21 for 1st Signal Brigade. There was a Yo-Yo unit there for a while. If not seen, the aircraft was undetectable in the air. It could fly over at 100' unnoticed. Amazing aircraft. reply | | connor sorge, e-mail, 20.05.2009 01:09 i am doing a report on this aor craft and am using this site i need the name of the auther please reply | | Howard Daley, e-mail, 10.02.2009 20:49 I learned yesterday (2 /9 /09) about the death of Richard Vernon. Dick and I participated in the development of the NVAP and IRI that were used on the YO3A. Dick's brother Bob thought thought there might be interest in my account of those days. I live in Carrollton, TX now. reply | | Shelb, e-mail, 27.09.2008 06:31 theres a YO-3 sitting up hear the the Burlington WA regional airport. Its not in very good shape an is litterly rotting. I dont know any info on the aircraft but im sure someone could find out reply | | Dale Ross Stith, e-mail, 20.07.2008 20:42 MY CORRECTIONS /ADDITIONS (Please correct the original text:
Faced with the military requirement for a quiet observation aircraft, Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. (LMSC) developed the "Q" Series Aircraft: QT-1 (conceived, but not constructed), QT-2 (N2471W and N2472W) later modified to QT-2PC configuration (#1 and #2), and Q-Star. Note: "QT: for Quiet Thruster.
The QT-2 first flew in August 1967. Both were later converted to military aircraft for the Prize Crew OpEval in Southeast Asia. Arriving in South Vietnam just before the 1968 TET Offensive, they accumulated approximately 600 hours flying exclusively tactical night missions during the first three-month deployment. They continued to operate in Vietnam during most of 1968 (Prize CrewII) and were then transferred to the Navy (NTPS Pax. R.) as X-26Bs in 1969. The QT-2PCs were the first military aircraft to use "Starlight Scopes".
The #1 ship is now at USAAM at Ft. Rucker, AL. The #2 ship was retro-verted to SGS 2-32 configuration and is operated by Mile High Gliders in CO.
The Q-Star Aircraft was LMSC's "House Aircraft" for evaluating "quiet recon" concepts. Eighteen propeller /reduction systems and other items were evaluated. It flew early versions "Black Crow" Sensors and was the first aircraft to use a rotary combustion chamber (Wankel) engine for primary power. It is now being rebuilt to fly again.
Potential of the aircraft was such that Lockheed produced a refined version for the US Army: The YO-3A. Also based on the Schweizer SGS 2-32 Sail-Plane, but with wings mounted low on the fuselage, retractable landing gear, upgraded (SLAE) avionics, State-Of-The-Art Sensor (NVAP with LTD) and the Tactical Observer seated forward for better visibility. An IO-360D Continental Engine provided propulsion power. The YO-3A was deployed in Southeast Asia from mid-1969 to late-1971.
It was the first military aircraft to employ an integrated NOD Sensor with a YAG Laser. It also had an Infrared Illuminator for other tactical sensors (INFANT LLTV, NODs, etc).
It was later operated by the LDWF and FBI. NASA yet operates the former 69-18010 as NASA 818 (or similar).
Dale Ross Stith
Founder & President of Quiet Aircraft Assn, Inc (NPO)
Member: LMSC R&D Team and Field Engineer (Prize Crew and YO-3A)
PS:
Images (and more)of all LMSC Quiet Aircraft available on our websites: quietaircraft.org, prizecrew.org, and YO-3A.com.
No evidence of carbon monoxide or "radar-absorbing-paint (aka RAM). One 762 round into a QT-2PC in '68, but no Quiet Aircraft lost the lost to the enemy. The first aircraft to survive in a hostile environment by means of "low-observables (aka STEALTH)" reply | | michael r. pass, e-mail, 20.07.2008 07:46 I was one of the Technical observers on board this aircraft. I have flown over 100 missions in combat and have over 975 hours in said aircraft.
On one paricular mission, my pilot and I flew over what we guess at to be a regiment of NVA at 50-100 feet. We were watching alot of camp fires going out. (this might have been cause by the prop wash) Saw people rounding to take cover fear of being bomb or strafe. We were however, trying to contact many of our assocates to take care of the problem. Last known , we had contact a 175mm battery and had adjusted fire from last known splash and readjusted by telling the battery to drop 1000 meters and right adjustment of 450 mters and fire for effect. Then we proceeded back to base for fuel. Left the scene with another yo-3a (Nightrider 12) to finish the task. reply | |
| | Rick Cahill, e-mail, 28.05.2008 02:36 can you tell me how many Yo-3's survived the Vietnam war? Are any still flying as of 2008? reply | | Bud Liggenstoffer, e-mail, 02.05.2008 23:17 I was a pilot on the YO-3A in RVN in 1971 till the end of the program. I was based out of LTN. This aircraft was so far advanced in night reconnaissance that it was sometimes difficult to convince the folks we were working with we were real because they couldn't believe that anyone could find as many valid targets as we were finding. We simply overwhelmed their organizations with so many valid targets they could not react to them all. reply | | Kurt Olney, e-mail, 07.03.2007 08:38 I was crew chief on Army-Lockheed YO-3A 69-18007 RVN 1970-71. 9 of these aircraft operated in Vietnam and they never took a round or were shot down. We did lose 3 to 1. Mechanical failure, 2. ran out of gas during a storm 3. Lost two pilots , possibly to Carbon Monoxide? Very successful aircraft. After Vietnam 2 of the planes were used for several years by the FBI--most notably in the Patty Hearst Case and the other kidnapping and extortion cases. Check out the website at www.yo-3a.com www.prizecrew.org www.quietaircrft.org This plane was silent at 1000 feet. It had 2nd generation Night Vision (NVAP) Infrared Illuminator and Laser target designator--and this was 1969-71. In addition the YO-3A had radar absorbing paint. When the transponder was turned off, the plane disappeared from radar. More information at www.yo-3a.com Kurt Olney reply |
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COMPANY
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Dick Osborne
YO-3A 69-18003
Now in Miami, Fl area
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