Military1961

US cancels the Avrocar, a saucer-shaped test aircraft

When: Dec 1961
Sources: 2 public sources

The Avrocar at its rollout in 1959 Bzuk at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Avrocar, a disc-shaped vertical-takeoff craft built by Avro Canada and taken over by the U.S. Army and Air Force in 1958, proved unstable above about three feet and topped out near 35 mph. The project was cancelled in December 1961. Its saucer shape drew comparisons with 'flying saucers'.

Sources

OfficialAvro Canada VZ-9AV Avrocar (fact sheet) (opens in a new tab)National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
PressReal-life flying saucer: Air Force remembers Avrocar (opens in a new tab)FedScoop / 2012-10-24

How sources are chosen and tiered

Where it fits

Earlier in MilitaryForeign Technology Division replaces ATIC; Blue Book moves under it1 Jul 1961 Later in MilitaryStarfish Prime nuclear test lights the sky over Hawaii9 Jul 1962

See it on the timeline More in Military