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For a history of VTOL aircrafts, and a list of countries in the world, please scroll down

 

Online store for hobby and sparetime items

Welcome to this online hobby item store. Buying hobby equipment online, you can get it for a better prize than from your local stores. Often you can also find items or product variants you do not find locally.

By clicking on the banners below, you will enter a specialized online store for each cathegory. There you can learn more about or order each product exhibited on this page, and many other products of the same cathegory.

 

CAMERAS, TELESCOPES, OPTICS

Quality digital cameras and equipment for good prizes:  From Digital Concepts, Hewlett-Packard, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung, Sony, Casio, Digital Blue, Disney, FujiFilm, Girl Gear, Hallo Kitty, Rollei, Sakar, Sealife, Sigma, Spy Chix, VuPoints

All types of camera accessories: Digital SLR, Compact Cameras, Digital Picture Frames, Camera & Printer Kits, Lenses, Memory, Batteries, Bags & Cases, Filters, Tripods, Flashes, Tutorials, Studio Lighting, Docking Stations, Software. Free shipping and no sales tax. Please click at this banner to exactly the camera or equipment you want.
 

Digital Cameras

 

Product example - Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 K Camera:

Alpha DSLR-A350 K Camera w/18-70 Zoom Lens - Pre-Order Today!

Sony Alpha DSLR-A350 K Camera w/18-70 Zoom Lens - Pre-Order Today!

With incredible 14.2 MP detail, Sony's a (alpha) DSLR-A350 raises the bar. This model pushes the envelope, setting a new standard of excellence for step-up digital photographers shooting both family memories and fine-art photos. Live Preview in a large 2.7-inch LCD screen links you and your subject-and you'll have special features like super-quick AF response, continuous shooting at 2 fps while you see your subject in the viewfinder, Creative Style modes for quick recall of custom settings, and in-camera Super SteadyShot image stabilization that reduces blur for every Sony, Carl Zeiss and legacy Minolta a-mount lens. 14.2 MP Super HAD CCD - The highest pixel resolution in its class (as of January 2008), for spectacular image detail for making big prints and tight crops.

An advanced APS-size CCD imager developed by Sony expands dynamic range and minimizes noise more effectively for clear, sharp photos even at high sensitivity setting (up to ISO 3200). Live Preview of Your Subject - The DSLR-A350's Live Preview mode links you and your subject on a large 2.7-inch LCD screen, for a familiar point-and-shoot style -- with super-quick AF response and accurate exposure control to help you catch the perfect moment. In Live Preview mode, the camera bypasses the optical pentaprism mirror to create a live "eye-to-eye" view on the LCD of loved ones, children, pets and fast-changing scenes. Tiltable 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus Screen - A large built-in screen with 2-way angle tilt provides a sharp, clear view of your subject and tilts up or down for low-angle or high-angle monitoring in situations where you want a child-level or overhead shot. Continuous Shooting While Viewing - The DSLR-A350 lets you shoot continuously at up to 2 frames per second while you see your subject in the large 2.7-inch LCD viewfinder, so you never lose track of the action.

In JPEG mode, you can shoot up to the limit of your flash memory card; in RAW Burst Mode you can capture up to 4 shots, with intelligent buffer management to allow more shots to be captured without waiting for the buffer to clear. Smart Teleconverter 2X Zoom - At the touch of a button you can zoom in electronically on your subject, reproducing pixels on a 1:1 basis with no degradation in picture quality. One touch zooms in at 1.4X, the second touch advances to 2X zoom -- creating the 35mm equivalent of a 200mm telephoto effect with the DSLR-A350's standard 18-70mm zoom lens. Expanded ISO Sensitivity - A broad sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200 enables the DSLR-A350 to capture beautiful color images even in very dim light -- with High ISO Noise Reduction technology that reduces picture noise artifacts at high-sensitivity ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 settings by eliminating noise from RAW data after analog-to-digital conversion. Super SteadyShot In-Camera Image Stabilization - Because image stabilization is built into the DSLR-A350, every lens benefits by an advantage of from 2.5 to 3.5 exposure steps. Thi


Telescopes: Here is an example of the many telescopes available. By clicking at the link you can find the presented telescope and a lot of other astronomy telescopes, landscape telescopes and nautical telescopes.

Deep Space 675x4.5 Reflector Telescope from Bushnell

Deep Space 675x4.5 Reflector Telescope from Bushnell

Bushnell® Deep Space Telescopes are a great value for both the beginner and intermediate astronomer. Fully featured for night after night of fun and excitement exploring deep into space. Include all-metal optical tube assembly, high-quality glass optic objectives for crisp clear views, full-length variable height tripods, metal equatorial and metal yoke mounting systems, all-metal accessory trays, rack and pinion focusing mechanisms and patented universal coding system. For in-depth information on how to choose which Telescope is right for you and for detailed technical information, please click here .


A product example - Sony DCRDVD505 - A Premium Quality Camcorder

Sony DCRDVD505

Sony DCRDVD505

Sony DVD Handycam Camcorder - DCRDVD505/ 1/3 Advanced HAD CCD/ DVD Format Video Recording With DVD-R DVD-RW And DVD+RW Compatibility/ Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens/ 3.5 Wide Touch Panel SwivelScreen Hybrid LCD Display/ Dolby Digital 5.1ch Recording


 

Another product example - Sony HDRFX1 - A very  High End Camcorder

 

Sony HDRFX1

Sony HDRFX1

Sony HD Digital Handycam Camcorder - HDRFX1/ Switchable HDV/DV Format Recording/ 3.5 Precision SwivelScreen LCD Display (250K Pixels)/ 12x Optical Zoom/ SteadyShot Picture Stabilization/ 3-1/3 16:9 Advanced HAD CCD Imagers (1120K Pixels Gross)/ i.Link DV Interface/ Handle Mounted Zoom And Recording Control/ Charcoal Finish


 

GENERAL STORES FOR HOBBY PRODUCTS

In these stores you find. Wireless models of aircrafts cars and boats. Electronic sets, telescopes, computers and a lot more. Models in all size and prize cathegories, and suitable for all ages. Electric driven models that are suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and extreme speedy gas driven models for the advanced modeller. You also find products in the cathegories: Electronics, science, chemistry, airsoft guns, magic, computers and more. The two stores have more or less the same types of products, but the fabricanst and models differ to some extend.

Hobbytron

The electronics section of this store is especially great: AM Transmitters, FM Power Amplifier, Electronic Kits, Amplifier, Audio Equipment, Color Organs, Clock Kits, Electronic Games, Light Effects, Noise Effects, Power Supply, Radio Kits, Sensors and Remotes, Telephone Kits, Timers and Relays, Miscellaneous Electronic Kits, TV Video Kits, Electronic Kits by CanaKit, Surveillance .

Also the section of airsoft wapons is large: Airsoft Machine Guns, Electric Airsoft Guns, Spring Airsoft Guns, Airsoft Shotguns, Gas Airsoft Guns, Airsoft Brands, Airsoft Tanks. Every existing model in these cathegories is available.

You can find a lot of magic equipment: Magic Tricks Magic Videos, Magic Books, Sponge Magic, Close Up Magic Tricks, Silk Magic, Magic Sets, Magic Accessories, Thumb Tip Magic Tricks, Comedy Magic Tricks, Mentalism Magic Tricks, Balloon Animals, Juggling Supplies, Novelty and Jokes

 

Trend times toys

Trend Times Toy Store

This store has a lot of novelties like: Electronic and gas-powered scooters, electronic and gas-powered  mopeds, electronic scateboards, RC electric submarines, airsoft battle tanks

Thereis an interesting section for electronic trucks: Electric and nitro driven Remote Control trucks:  Construction Trucks, Truck Toys, RC Bulldozers, Dump Trucks, Cement Mixers, Forklifts, Hummer style trucks, pickup trucks, army airsoft jeeps, hummer style hopping trucks, ESC trucks, Backhoe Construction Truck W/Working Digging Arm, firetrucks with water guns, cement mixer construction trucks, wall-climbing trucks,

 

 

A SPECIAL STORE FOR HELICOPTER MODELS

This is a great store of remote controle helicopter models and of all types of equipment for RC helicopters

 

 

NITRO AND ELECTRIC DRIVEN AIRCRAFTS

Examples: Hurricane XP PRO, Monsoon XP, Avalamche XP, Tornado BP, Tsunami, Tsunami ultrawide, Volcano SV SV Pro, Tremor ATV XTB XtG XTK XTR. Electric redcats: Lightning XTK, Tornado EPX, Tsunami EPX, Volcano EPXr.

 

 

SPECIAL COLLECTION OF NITRO DRIVEN MODELS

This is a very great collection of nitro diven airplane models with various motor technologies.

 

 

REMOTE CONTROLE MODEL EXAMPLES

 You see here some examples of models available. By clicking at the buy-buttons, you will also find links to a lot of other models and other hobby items.

Remote control electric historic fighter

Kyosho P-51D Mustang M24 RC Electric Airplane RTF

Kyosho P-51D Mustang M24 RC Electric Airplane RTF

The first of the new Kyosho "Backyard Flyer Series!" Built to such exacting detail, it's easy to forget the Mustang's 1/14 scale compact size. Look inside the canopy to see the detailed pilot and minute parts that give this plane that unmistakable Mustang appeal. Details such as the seams of the panels on the wing and fuselage are superbly finished on this factory-assembled ready to fly model. The M24 Mustang includes the radio, battery and charger in the box. Simply install your radio batteries (sold separately), charge plane battery and you are ready to take to the skies! This is a great plane to experience the thrill of scale flight, without the painstaking hours of building a wood model.


RC electric model of twin engine airliner

RC Twin Engine Airliner Electric Airplane

RC Twin Engine Airliner Electric Airplane

The RC Twin Engine Airliner Electric Airplane.Spread your wings, wind up your engines and it's time to soar through the skies. You don't need a crash course in flying nor a license to fly. Explore the limitless airspace with the RC Twin Engine Airliner Electric Airplane. Very easy to use and lots of fun.The RC Twin Engine Airliner Electric Airplane features 2 remote controlled, battery-powered propellers for extended flights. The remote will switch off the engine and let your high-flying glider adventure begin. Need more altitude? Flip the switch on the controller and the propellers fire up to help you climb again. Master banking turns and flying in different wind conditions as you carefully hone your skills. The RC Twin Engine Airliner Electric Airplane includes all the batteries you need and even two spare propellers just in case. Recommended for ages 10 and above.


Model of spitfire - This aricraft is sold without remote controller and motor. It is suited for experienced hobby pilots that want to outfit the plane with nitro motor and controller of their own choise

Spitfire 60 RC Nitro Airplane ARF

Spitfire 60 RC Nitro Airplane ARF

The Spitfire 60 RC Nitro Gas Airplane ARF is a big, beautiful plane. With a 63 inch wingspan, thats over 5 feet, this plane is truly huge. The Spitfire 60 RC Nitro Gas Airplane ARF comes with all hardware and accessories and pre-installed retracts to operate in scale manner. It also comes with a pre-painted fiberglass cowling with 3D template as well as functional flaps for smoother landings. The Spitfire 60 RC Nitro Gas Airplane ARF is an Almost Ready to Fly plane which means it does not come with an engine or a Transmitter. It is an easy-to-assemble ARF that is an incredibly detailed warbird.


Classic electric driven remote control helicopter models

Hobby Source XR-1  4 Channel RTF Electric Helicopter (AVAILABLE NOV. 15TH) (FREE GROUND SHIPPING)

Hobby Source XR-1 4 Channel RTF Electric Helicopter (AVAILABLE NOV. 15TH) (FREE GROUND SHIPPING)

The XR-1, Hobby Source has achieved what could not be done a few years ago. They have created the first 4 channel electric powered Ready-to-Fly (RTF) helicopter with the most realistic hovering capabilities using "HVG" Technology.



 

 

Electric driven remote control helicopter model with double contrarotating rotor

SRC Pegasus Dual Blade RTF 4CH Electric Helicopter (Free Crash Kit) (Free Shipping)

SRC Pegasus Dual Blade RTF 4CH Electric Helicopter (Free Crash Kit) (Free Shipping)

The Pegasus Dual Blade RTF 4 CH Helicopter from SRC is one of the best dual blade helicopters available. The Pegasus is a high performance ready to fly electric indoor and outdoor helicopter. The dual blades on the Pegasus Helicopter makes it very stable and great for beginners and experts. The Pegasus is a full function helicopter that can go up, down, forward, backward, left and right. Ready to fly out of the box with all of the electronics pre-installed. Comes complete with a 4 ch transmitter and a Li-poly battery for extra long flights.


Rc Porsche 911

NIKKO RC Porsche 911 GT3 RS RTR Scale 1:10 Electric Car

NIKKO RC Porsche 911 GT3 RS RTR Scale 1:10 Electric Car

This Nikko Car has high performance motor that speeds up the car to 20 mph. It has digital proportional steering for smooth, realistic handling and tight turns. The independent front and rear suspension allows for enhanced traction and smooth handling. The Lexan impact-resistant plastic body make this car virtually indestructible and lightweight for long running times and fast speeds. It includes high-end pistol grip transmitter with trim adjustments for steering and speed precision. Also the interchangeable frequency bands makes multiple racing possible for upto 6 cars.


 

HAVE FUN DESIGNING YOUR OWN CLOTHES - and get them sent to you as you have designed them

Create your T-shirts, underwear, sportswear and other clothes as you want them yourself with SpreadShirt designer - By clicking at the banners here, you will find a flash-based tool that you can use to design your own clothes. You can give them the background colors and patterns you want, choose drawings and place them where you want on the clothes, and create texts to place on strategic sites on the clothes. You can then purchase the clothes of your own design and get them sent to you within 48 hours.

If you live in America, please click at this banner.

Spreadshirt Designer

If your home is in UK, please click here.

Spreadshirt Designer

 

 

Watches

Many famous brands for affordable prices are like: Citizen , Casio , Chase-Durer , Hamilton , Movado , Oakley , Pulsar, Seiko , Suunto watches

 Looking for a Watch? - Try Princeton Watches!

Shop for Dive Watches - Best Price & Selection

Shop for Seiko Watches at Great Prices

 

 

PARTS AND EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR CAR HOBBY

Here are tree online shops with affordable parts and equipment for your car. All shops have much of the same equipment, but the titles over the banner, indicates what area each shop is best at.

Technical parts for repair and performance

APW: Discount Auto Parts + FREE Shipping

 

Internal and external equipment and comodities, car electronics and GPS navigation

Lowest Price For One Year Guaranteed!

 

Comodities to take with you on your journey, car electronics, workshop tools.

Auto Barn - Shop on-line at our 5-Star Rated Site

 

Books reading materials and elecronic media about cars and other motor vehicles

By clicking at this banner you will find a grat range of  books, calendars, manuals, videos and collectibles about:  Modern and classic cars, auto racing, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, trains, boats, aviation, military history, bicycles, americana, and collectibles.

Best Selection of Enthusiast Books

 

 

Store with tools for any hobby activity - and car equipment like GPS navigation units

By clicking at this banner you get into a superstore with every kinds of tools you can use by your hobby activities. You also find garden equipment, cooking equipment, herbs and herbal preparations and a lot more. You also find many kinds of car equipment.

Car tools and much more

 

 

ALL KINDS OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Consumer electronics: Computers, Televisions, DVD Players / Recorders, Home Audio / Video, MP3 Players / iPod Accessories, Satellite Radio, Headphones, Mobile Audio / Video, GPS / Navigation, Home Electronics, Telephones & Fax, Personal Electronics, Electronic Accessories

 

Save On All MP3 players

MP3 Players at RitzCamera.com

 

Accessories for all types of laptop equipment from all brands and for all models for good prizes: Examples: Laptop Batteries, PDA Batteries, MP3 Batteries, Digital. Camera Batteries, Camcorder Batteries, Universal Batteries, AC Adapters, Car Adapters, Airplane Adapters, Universal. Adapters, Printer Power Supplies, Chargers. GPS Receivers, Sync Cords, Fiber Optic Cables, HDMI. Cables, DC-DC Plugs • RPTV Lamps, Projector Lamps, iPod Accessories, MP3 Accessories, PDA Accessories. And more.

Laptop Accessories @ Factory price - Same Day Ship

 

 

A VERY GREAT COLLECTION OF AIRSOFT GUN

This might be one of the greatest collections of airsoft guns and airsoft gun accessories.

Air Soft Guns

 

 

SOFTWARE AND ELECTRONIC GAMES

GamePass - Become member and get a new FREE game of your choice every month!

Get Any Game FREE with GamePass

 

A great collection of low prized games and software: In this shop you will find a huge collection of games and software for very nice prizes.

Bargain Alert Blowouts of the Week!

 

 

MUSIC INSTRUMENTS

Good collections of quality music equipment - All kinds of guitars, brass instruments, keyboards, drums, sound equipment and more.

GearTree.com Music Gear - Low Prices

Shop InstrumentPro for Musical Instruments

Product examples:

 

Dean ML Phantom X  Electric Guitar

Dean ML Phantom X Electric Guitar

Dean ML Phantom X Electric Guitar This dark smoker features bolt-on construction, rail pickups, fixed bridge, all black hardware.




Jay Turser JT-XG2

Jay Turser JT-XG2

Jay Turser JT-XG2 Double Neck Electric Guitar Jay Turser JT-XG2 Features: Double Cutaway Solid Body 6 and 12 string bolt on Neck Rosewood Fingerboards Dot Inlays 4 Chrome Covered Humbucking pick-ups Vintage Kluson Style Machines with gold covers. Black Pick Guard One Tone for each and a shared tone Three position selector One for the 6 and one for the 12 Lifetime Warranty This guitar is truely Awesome in a Walnut and Red Finish Get Your Jay Turser JT-XG2 Today!


 


METAL DETECTORS

Please click at the product link to see this and other metal detectors

Fast Tracker Metal Detector by Bounty Hunter

Fast Tracker Metal Detector by Bounty Hunter

Dual-tone audio discrimination Motion all-metals mode Automatic ground balancing to help see through ground minerals Audible low-battery alert Built-in speaker & headphone jack Easy to understand operation gets you stared right away 2-Tone audio feedback so you can discover valuables and discard unwanted items. Headphone jack with 1/4 plug can be used with most headphones Bounty Hunter believes that newcomers to the exciting world of treasure-hunting shouldn't be shortchanged when it comes to features - or quality. That's why there's the Fast Tracker. It is so affordable, and so powerful, it can literally pay for itself in just a few outings! And while the price can't be beat, neither can the features: Fast Tracker comes complete with a big 7 Bounty D-Tech search coil, teamed up advanced circuitry for power and control. Fast Tracker offers dual-tone audio discrimination, motion all-metals mode, automatic ground balance, audible low-battery alert, built-in speaker and headphone jack. It combines lightweight S-rod comfort-grip handle with stand and adjustable coil-angle for hours of productive searching. And it's backed by a solid five-year limited warranty from Bounty Hunter.




 

SOME OTHER ITEMS

Skinstore: Products targeted against any type of medical skin problem: Whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, eczema, irritation, inflammation, skin hurt by the sun, cellulites, wrincles, miscolored skin, and more.

 

Products to help against many common diseases: Items based on herbs, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxydants targeted at specific health problems. By clicking this link, you will se a menu where you can choose the names of specific diseases or health problems. Then you will get a presentation of the product for the purpose of helping against that exact problem. You find products for skin conditions, heart and circulation, problems with nose, throut and lungs, muscular and joint conditions, difficulties with the digestive functions, hormonal imbalances, nervous and mental symptoms, hormonal problems like slow thyroid production, urinary and reproductive organs, and more.

Pleace click here to find the right product

 

OILS, CREAMS, MASSAGE MEDIA, PILLS against rheumatism, skin problems, overweight and more - Here you find many good topical oinments for body massage against rheumatic diseases, stiff and painfull muscles, hurt tendons and troubled joints. Here are also creams to treat acne, rosacea, wounded skin, irritated skin, skin itching and hemorrhoids. You also find products for weight loss and items to maintain general good health.

 

 

VTOL HISTORY AND CONCEPTS

(Most or this information in this VTOL article has been collected form wikipedia.org, and is as such free to reuse)

 

History of vertical take off and landing aircrafts that are not helicopters

In 1928, Nikolai Tesla received patents for an apparatus for aerial transportation. Tesla called it the "Flivver". It is one of the earliest examples of VTOL aircraft.

In late World War II, German designers studied the possibility of a VTOL aircraft, the Heinkel Lerche, but the plan never got off the drawing board.

An early contribution to VTOL was Rolls-Royce's Thrust Measuring Rig ("flying bedstead") of 1953 . This led to the first VTOL engines as used in the first British VTOL aircraft, the Short SC.1 (1957) which used a 4 vertical lift engines with a horizontal one for forward thrust.

The idea of using the same engine for vertical and horizontal flight by altering the path of the thrust led to the Bristol Siddeley Pegasus engine which used rotating ducts to direct thrust over a range of angles. This was developed side by side with an airframe, the Hawker P.1127, which became subsequently the Kestrel and then entered production as the Hawker Siddeley Harrier though the supersonic Hawker Siddeley P.1154 was cancelled in 1965 .

The Harrier is often flown in STOVL mode which enables it to carry a higher fuel or weapon load over a given distance. The Indian Navy operates Sea Harriers mainly from its aircraft carrier INS Viraat. The United States Marine Corps, and the Italian and Spanish Navies use the AV-8 Harrier II, an advanced derivative of the Harrier. The Harrier II will be replaced in the air arms of the US and UK by a STOVL variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

NASA has flown other VTOL craft such as the XV-15 research craft (1977), as have the Soviet Navy and Luftwaffe. Sikorsky tested an aircraft dubbed the X-Wing, which took off in the manner of a helicopter. The rotors would become stationary in mid-flight, and function as wings, providing lift in addition to the static wings. Boeing X-50 is a Canard Rotor/Wing prototype that utilizes a similar concept.

In the 1960s France developed a version of the Dassault Mirage III capable of attaining Mach 1. The Dassault Mirage III - V Balzac (not to be confused with the Mirage 5) achieved transition from vertical to horizontal flight in March of 1966 and reached Mach 1.3 in level flight a short time later.

The Soviet Yak-38 Forger was the Soviet Navy's VTOL aircraft for their light carriers, cargoships, and capital ships. It was developed from the Yak-36 Freehand experimental aircraft. Before the Soviet Union collapsed, a supersonic VTOL aircraft was developed as the Yak-38's successor, the Yak-141, which never went into production. The Yak-141, also called Yak-41 was further developed into the Yak-43.


A German V/STOL VJ101 "Starfighter" on display at the Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany.In the 1960s and early 70s Germany planned three different VTOL planes. One used the F-104 as a base for research for a V/STOL aircraft. Although two models (X1 and X2) were built, the project was canceled due to high costs and political problems as well as changed needs in the Luftwaffe and NATO. The EWR VJ 101C did perform free VTOL take-offs and landings, as well as test flights beyond mach 1 in the mid- and late 60s. One of the test-aircraft is preserved in the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany. The others were the VFW-Fokker VAK 191 B light fighter and reconesaince plane[1], and the Dornier Do 31 E-3 (troop) transport[2], prototypes of the two can be seen at the Deutsches Museum branch at Oberschleißheim Airfield.

The Moller Skycar is a prototype personal VTOL aircraft -- literally, a "flying air vehicle" (PAV). It has, as of this date, never made the transition to level flight, nor has it ever flown with anybody on board.

Aircraft designed to operate in extraterrestrial environments often utilize VTOL. An example of this type of aircraft is the LLRV. Spacecraft typically operate in environments where runways or even a suitably flat surface for skids is nonexistent.


V-22

U.S. Marines jump from a V-22 Osprey, the first production tiltrotor aircraft.The V-22 Osprey is the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft, with one three-bladed proprotor, turboprop engine, and transmission nacelle mounted on each wingtip. The Osprey is a joint service, multimission, military tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing capability (STOL). It is designed to perform missions like a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. The FAA classifies the Osprey as a model of powered lift aircraft.


F-35B
The most spectacular demonstration of the JSF qualifying flight trials was the X-35B's STOVL demonstration where it took off in less than 500 feet, went supersonic, and landed vertically -- a feat that Boeing's entry was unable to achieve.[1]

The JSF program was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production, and operating costs down. This was pursued by building three variants of one aircraft, sharing 80% of their parts:

F-35A, a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant.
F-35B, a short-takeoff and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant.
F-35C, a carrier-based variant.

X-35B lift fan; the VTOL propulsion system is designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce plcThe F-35B is the short-takeoff and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant aircraft. The F-35B is similar in size to the Air Force F-35A, trading fuel volume for vertical flight systems. Like the AV-8 Harrier II, guns will be carried in a ventral pod. Vertical flight is by far the riskiest, and in the end, a decisive factor in design.

Instead of lift engines, or rotating nozzles on the engine fan and exhaust like the Pegasus-powered Harrier, the F-35B uses an innovative shaft-driven Lift Fan, patented by Lockheed Martin and developed by Rolls-Royce. Somewhat like a turboprop embedded into the fuselage, engine shaft power is diverted forward via a clutch-and-bevel gearbox to a vertically mounted, contra-rotating lift fan located forward of the main engine in the center of the aircraft. Bypass air from the cruise engine turbofan exhausts through a pair of roll-post nozzles in the wings on either side of the fuselage, while the lift fan balances the vectoring cruise nozzle at the tail. This system is more similar to the Russian Yak-141 than previous STOVL designs, such as the Harrier with thrust vectoring.

Demonstrator X-35 aircraft flew in 2000. A production model first took flight on 15 December 2006.

 

About helicopter concepts and types

A spinning rotor makes torque that forces the aircraft to spin in the oppsite direction if this torque is not counteracted. The different types of helicopter constructions have the aim of hindering this to happen and also using the torque in a constructive manner when turning is wanted.

One way of chieving this controle is by having one main rotor and a tail rotor that controls the torque. By using different force from the tail rotor, the tail rotor force in combination with the torque can be used to let the helicopter turn in a wanted direction.

Another way of achieving torque controle is by having two main rotors, one at the front and another at the tail. Turning of such a helicopter is achieved by tilting the two rotors in opposite directions.

Still another way of controlling the torque and using it constructively, is by having two counterrotating rotors over each other. Such a helicopter is turned by letting one rotor spin faster than the other. Then the rotor will turn in the spinning direction of the slowest rotor.

The newest concept used commercially implieshaving the rotors at the end of two wings. Such an aircraft can be turned by tilting the rotors in opposite directions. By rotating the wings in flight, such an aircraft can transform the flight from helicopter flight to conventional flight once being in the air and moving forwards.

 

About helicopter history

The helicopter is the commercially most successful VTOL concept. Here is a summary of the history of the helicopter.

Since 400 BC, the Chinese had a bamboo flying top that was used as a children's toy. Eventually, this flying top toy made it to Europe and is depicted in a 1463 European painting. Pao Phu Tau was a 4th-century book in China describing some of the ideas inherent to rotary wing aircraft. In 1493, Leonardo da Vinci first sketched a semi-practical machine, named in his "Codice Atlántico", that could be described as an "aerial screw".

The word "helicopter" (hélicoptère) was coined in 1861 by Gustave de Ponton d'Amécourt, a French inventor who demonstrated a small steam-powered model. Ján Bahýľ, a Slovak inventor, developed a helicopter model powered by an internal combustion engine that in 1901 reached a height of 0.5 meters. On May 5, 1905 his helicopter reached 4 meters in altitude and flew for over 1500 meters.

In 1906, two brothers, Jacques and Louis Breguet, began experimenting with airfoils for helicopters and in 1907, those experiments resulted in the Gyroplane No.1. Although there is some discrepancy about the dates, sometime between 14 August and 29 September 1907, the Gyroplane No. 1 lifted its pilot up into the air about two feet (0.6 meters) for a minute. However, the Gyroplane No. 1 proved to be extremely unsteady and required a man at each corner of the airframe to hold it steady. For this reason, the flights of the Gyroplane No. 1 are considered to be the first manned flight of a helicopter, but not a free or untethered flight. That same year, fellow French inventor Paul Cornu designed and built a helicopter that used two 20-foot (6-meter) counter-rotating rotors driven by a 24-hp (18-kW) Antoinette engine. On November 13, 1907, it lifted its inventor to 1 foot (0.3 meters) and remained aloft for 20 seconds. Although this flight was smaller in its achievement than that of the Breguet brothers, it was greater in accomplishment being that it was the first true free flight with a pilot. The Cornu helicopter would achieve a height of nearly 2 meters but also proved to be unstable and was abandoned after only a few flights.

In the early 1920s, Raul Pateras Pescara de Castelluccio, an Argentinian working in Europe, demonstrated one of the first successful applications of cyclic pitch.[10] His coaxial, contra-rotating, biplane rotors were able to be warped to cyclically increase and decrease the lift they produced; and the rotor hub could also tilt, both allowing the aircraft to move laterally without a separate propeller to push or pull it. Pescara is also credited with demonstrating the principle of autorotation, the method by which helicopters land safely after engine failure. By January 1924, Pescara's helicopter No. 3 was capable of flights up to 10 minutes. One of Pescara's contemporaries, Frenchman Etienne Oemichen, set the first helicopter world record recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale on 14 April 1924, flying his helicopter 360 meters (1,181 feet). On 18 April 1924, Pescara beat Oemichen's record, flying for a distance of 736m (nearly a half mile) in 4 minutes and 11 seconds (about 8 mph, 13 km/h) maintaining a height of six feet. Not to be outdone, Oemichen reclaimed the world record on 4 May when he flew his No. 2 machine again for a 14-minute flight covering 5,550 feet (1.05 mi, 1.692 km) while climbing to a height of 50 feet (15 meters). Oemichen also set the 1-km closed-circuit record at 7 minutes 40 seconds.

During this time, Juan de la Cierva was developing and introducing the first practical autogyro. In 1923, the rotorcraft that became the basis for the modern helicopter began to take shape, in the form of an autogyro.[13] Cierva discovered aerodynamic and structural deficiencies in his early designs that could cause his autogyros to flip over after takeoff. The flapping hinges Cierva designed allowed the rotor to develop lift equally on the left and right halves of the rotor disk. A crash in 1927 led to the development of the drag hinge.[13] These two developments allowed for a stable rotor system, not only in a hover, but in forward flight.

In 1922, Albert Gillis von Baumhauer, a Dutch aeronautical engineer, started studying VTOL rotor craft. His first prototype 'flew' ('hopped' and hovered really) on September 24, 1925, with Dutch Army-Air arm Captain Floris Albert van Heijst at the controls. The controls that Captain van Heijst used were Von Baumhauer's inventions, the cyclic and collective. Patents were granted Von Baumhauer by the British ministry of aviation on January 31, 1927, under number 265,272.

Soviet aeronautical engineers Boris Yuriev and Alexei Cheremukhin began experiments with the TsAGI 1-EA helicopter in 1931. A single rotor helicopter, with dual forward and aft anti-torque propellers, it reached an altitude of 605 meters (1,984 ft) on August 14, 1932 with Cheremukhin at the controls.[14]

The German Focke-Wulf Fw 61 was the first viable helicopter first flying in 1936. The Fw 61 broke all of the helicopter world records in 1937. Nazi Germany used helicopters in small numbers during World War II. Models such as the Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri synchropter were used in the Mediterranean Sea, while the Focke Achgelis Fa 223 Drache was used in Europe.

Mass production of the military version of the Sikorsky XR-4 began in May 1942 for the United States Army; this was used over Burma for rescue duties. It was also used by the Royal Air Force, the first British military unit to be equipped with helicopters being the Helicopter Training School, formed in January 1945 at RAF Andover with nine Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly I helicopters.

The Bell 47 designed by Arthur Young became the first helicopter to be licensed (in March 1946) for certified civilian use in the United States. Two decades later the Bell 206 became the most successful commercial helicopter ever built with more hours and more industry records than any other aircraft in the world.

Reliable helicopters capable of stable hover flight were developed decades after fixed-wing aircraft. This is largely due to higher engine power density requirements than fixed-wing aircraft. Improvements in fuels and engines during the first half of the 20th century were a critical factor in helicopter development. The availability of lightweight turboshaft engines in the second half of the 20th century, pioneered by the Kaman K-225 synchropter, which first flew with gas turbine power late in 1951, led to the development of larger, faster, and higher-performance helicopters. Turboshaft engines are the preferred powerplant for all but the smallest and least expensive helicopters today.

Today the development of helicopters and related VTOL aircrafts goes towards designing small remote controle VTOL aircrafts that are furnished with surveillance and working tools of all kinds.

 

Countries in the world

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It is easy to find lists of all countries in the word on the Internet. But curiously enogh, to find the countries just listed in a simple fasion like the list here, is very difficult. The lists you find nearly allways are integreated in tables, ordered in columns, have hyperlinks, have fancy formatting, etc. Sometimes you just need such an easy list to work out from, for example when you need country names on your web-side. Therefore we present this list as a resource for our visitors.

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Buthan Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands,Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial.

Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, The, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras,Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Jamaica, Japan,Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania.

Mauritius,Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino (10/04, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone.

Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain,Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.Uruguay, Uzbekistan. Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.