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The Canadian CL-84, begun in November 1963,
was a quarter the size of the XC-142. It weighed 8,100 lb empty,
could make a vertical take-off at 12,200 lb, or a short take-off
at 14,700 lb. The wings were 33 ft long and housed two 1,450 shp
Lycoming T53-LTC1K-4A turboprops which powered the cross-linked 14
ft four-bladed propellers. Pitch control was provided by two counter-rotating
two-bladed horizontal propellers, which in horizontal flight were
stopped and aligned to minimize drag. Roll control was by differential
pitch, and yaw was controlled with ailerons. It made its first vertical
flight in May 1965, and first conventional flight that December.
A total of four aircraft were built, including one which was not
flown. US pilots evaluated it extensively, including demonstrations
on amphibious ships and the Pentagon helipad. Neither government was
sufficiently interested to order production aircraft. Two aircraft
were destroyed in non-fatal accidents due to mechanical failures.
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