RYAN

In May 1934 Mr Ryan returned to manufacturing by forming The Ryan Aeronautical Co. at Lindbergh Field. His prosperous school needed a good trainer, and first product was S-T low-wing monoplane of mixed construction, with all-metal semi-monocoque fuselage with tandem open cockpits (8 June 1934). This led to large orders for derived civil and military versions, most numerous being Kinner-engined PT-22 Recruit (1,023 built in 1941). Ryan’s interests were teaching and research, but in 1943 he responded to Navy specification calling for fighter with nose piston engine for range and tail turbojet for speed. Result was FR-1 Fireball (25 June 1944), but war’s end limited production to 66. He produced Firebird, first air/air missile of USAF, followed by world’s biggest family of targets, drones and RPVs derived from original Firebee of March 1951. In 1947 he bought rights to North American Navion, later selling out to Navion Aircraft. Whilst building fuselage barrel sections for KC-97, KC-135 and 707, Ryan produced X-13 Vertijet tail-standing VTOL (RR Avon, 10 December 1955), VZ-3 Vertiplane V/STOL with 2 propellers blowing on giant flaps (12 January 1959), XV-5A fan-in-wing high-speed VTOL (a far bigger project, 25 May 1964) and XV-8A Fleep Rogallo-type flexible-wing vehicle. Ryan sold assets to Teledyne 1969, which retained name as Teledyne Ryan.

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