Vance Viking

{{Infobox aircraft | name = Viking | logo = | logo_size = | image = File:Vance_Viking_3-view_L'Aerophile_February_1933.jpg | alt = | caption = Vance Viking 3-view drawing from L'Aerophile February 1933 | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Racing aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United States of America | manufacturer = Vance Aircraft Company | design_group = | designer = Claire K. Vance | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = July 1932<ref>{{cite book|title=Air pictorial: journal of the Air League, Volume 36|page=64}}</ref> | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

The '''Vance Viking''', also called the '''Vance Flying Wing Express''', and the '''Texas Sky Ranger''', was a single seat cargo and racing aircraft.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Flying Magazine|date=May 1948|page=44}}</ref>

==Design and development== Claire K. Vance founded the Vance Aircraft Corporation to build the "Flying Wing" design.<ref>{{cite web |title= Claire Vance |url= https://www.truckeehistory.org/claire-vance-pioneer-sierra-pilot-extraordinaire.html |accessdate= 6 February 2018}}</ref> The aircraft was designed though a series of hand-carved wooden models before drawings were made, with the intention of it being a high speed, high altitude air-freighter with storage in thick wing lockers. Its short air racing history was interrupted by the 1932 death of its designer Claire Vance<ref>{{cite book |title= San Francisco Bay Area Aviation |author= William T. Larkins, Ronald T. Reuther |page=41}}</ref> who struck a fog-covered mountain at Rocky Ridge.<ref>{{cite web |title= Tailless aircraft in the USA |url= http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/flying%20wings/early%20US%20flying%20wings.htm|accessdate=January 30, 2011}}</ref>

The "Flying Wing" was a conventional long-range aircraft for the period with the exception of the two large booms aft of the cockpit supporting the twin tail surfaces and twin rudders, rather than a conventional fuselage. The tandem seat aircraft was converted to a single pilot aircraft that featured a radial engine and conventional landing gear (one tailwheel for each boom). Fourteen fuel tanks totaling {{convert|1200|u.s.gal}} were interconnected inside the cantilevered mid-wing. The aircraft was of mixed construction, with an aluminum-covered welded steel tube fuselage. The wing used wooden wing spars with plywood covering. A forced air induction system was built into the wing roots with exhausts mounted near the trailing edges.<ref>{{cite web|title=tailless aircraft in the USA|url=http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/flying%20wings/early%20US%20flying%20wings.htm|accessdate=January 30, 2011}}</ref>

==Operational history== In 1932 the Viking dropped out of the Bendix Trophy race following fuel system issues.<ref>{{cite book|title=The great air races|author=Don Vorderman|page=187}}</ref> In 1933 it was entered, but did not compete in the Bendix Trophy race.<ref>{{cite web|title=1933 National Air Races|url=http://www.airrace.com/1933NAR.htm|accessdate=30 December 2011}}</ref>

In 1934 Lt. Murray B. Dilley purchased the aircraft and production rights from Claire Vance's estate for $10,000 with the intention of racing the aircraft in the 1934 England-Australia MacRobertson Air Race.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Flight|date=23 August 1934|title=The England-Australia Race}}</ref> Dilley only paid $2500 of the amount owed, and abandoned the aircraft in the desert near Palm Springs, California. The Flying Wing was bought at auction in 1936 for $2500 by the Mason Aircraft Corporation. Clyde Pangborn planned on using the aircraft for a Dallas, Texas to Moscow Flight.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Berkley Daily Gazette|date=2 June 1936|title=Vance Flying Wing Plane Brings $2500}}</ref> Later the aircraft was returned to tandem configuration, a radio compass was installed, it was re-painted red and white and christened "The Texas Sky Ranger". Roland W. Richards sponsored the aircraft as part of a publicity campaign for the Texas Centennial Exposition to fly to New York, Paris, visit London, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Brussels and then return on a non-stop Paris to Dallas flight with Pangborn and Mony Mason as pilots.<ref>{{Cite news|newspaper=Berkley Daily Gazette|title=Pangborn Plans Paris to Dallas non-stop flight|author=Jay Wells|date=17 July 1936}}</ref> Mason backed out by not meeting a commitment, but the flight was planned to continue independently with Pangborn with newspaper sponsorship.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Berkley Daily Gazette|date=20 July 1936|title=Drop Sponsorship of Atlantic Flight}}</ref>

==Specifications (Vance Viking) == {{Aircraft specs |ref=Flight |prime units?=kts  |genhide=

|crew=1 |capacity= |length m= |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=60 |span in= |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb= |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|1200|u.s.gal}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Pratt & Whitney Wasp |eng1 type=Radial |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=660

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=200 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=160 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles=7500 |range nmi= |range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=35,000 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics=*Automatic Pilot }}

==See also== {{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= *Emsco B-8 Flying Wing |lists= }}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4822055079/ Image of the Vance Flying Wing] *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4822672692/in/photostream/ Image of the Vance Flying Wing] *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4822672628/in/photostream/ Image of the Vance Flying Wing] *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4822055015/in/photostream/ Image of the Vance Flying Wing] *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4822054955/in/photostream/ Image of the Vance Flying Wing] *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4822672478/in/photostream/ Image of the Vance Flying Wing]

Category:Racing aircraft Category:Twin-boom aircraft Category:Mid-wing aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1932