VFW VAK 191B
The VFW VAK 191B was an experimental German vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) strike fighter of the early 1970s. VAK was the abbreviation for Vertikalstartendes Aufklärungs- und Kampfflugzeug (Vertical Take-off Reconnaissance and Strike Aircraft). Designed and built by the Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW), it was developed with the purpose of eventually serving as a replacement for the Italian Fiat G.91 then in service with the German Air Force. Operationally, it was intended to have been armed with nuclear weapons as a deterrent against aggression from the Soviet Union and, in the event of a major war breaking out, to survive the first wave of attacks by deploying to dispersed locations, rather than conventional airfields, and to retaliate against targets behind enemy lines.
Specifications
General Characteristics
- Created On Windows
- Wingspan 21.5ft (6.5m)
- Length 33.5ft (10.2m)
- Height 11.0ft (3.3m)
- Empty Weight 6,057lbs (2,747kg)
- Loaded Weight 8,374lbs (3,798kg)
Performance
- Power/Weight Ratio 1.61
- Wing Loading 43.9lbs/ft2 (214.4kg/m2)
- Wing Area 190.7ft2 (17.7m2)
- Drag Points 886
Parts
- Number of Parts 68
- Control Surfaces 5
- Performance Cost 440