Garrett STAMP

The Garrett STAMP (Small Tactical Aerial Mobility Platform) was a two person flying jeep prototype made by a division of Garrett Systems, the Airesearch Co. of Phoenix, for the United States Marine Corps STAMP program, in the early 1970s.

The prototype took off and manoeuvered by the means of a ducted turbine, much like the Harrier. Unlike the Harrier it had no wings and had to depend on the fan's thrust for lift at all times. This gave it an expected range of 30 miles at a speed of 75 mph. The power came from a Garrett TSE-231 turbine normally used to power helicopters. The turbine gave 1050 pounds of thrust by running at 6000 rpm. Two persons sat in a closed cockpit adapted from a small helicopter.

The prototype was successfully tested in tethered flight inside a hangar at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California. Its competitor in the STAMP program was a two person open-cockpit craft called WASP, made by Williams International.

References

*Wahl, Paul. Jet Flight With No Wings. Popular Science. April 1974. pp.88-89 and 152

External links

* http://www.gl.iit.edu/wadc/DigitalCollection/1986/AFWALTR86-3071volume01.pdf