Vega Aircraft Corporation Explained

Vega Aircraft Corporation
Former Name:AiRover Company
Industry:Aerospace
Fate:Merged with Lockheed Aircraft Company
Predecessors:-->
Successor:Lockheed Aircraft Company
Founders:Robert E. Gross
Hq Location City:Burbank, California
Hq Location Country:United States of America
Areas Served:-->
Owners:-->
Parent:Lockheed Aircraft Company

The Vega Aircraft Corporation was a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Company in Burbank, California responsible for much of its parent company's production in World War II.

History

The company was first formed in August 1937 as the AiRover Company to produce a new light aircraft design. It was renamed in May 1938 to honor Lockheed's first aircraft design, the Vega.[1]

The AiRover Model 1 was a Lockheed Altair fitted with a Menasco Unitwin 2-544 engine, which featured two engines driving a single shaft. The AiRover Model 2 was a new design named the Vega Starliner. One Starliner prototype was built and tested, but the design did not go into production.[2]

In 1940, with World War II already underway in Europe, Vega changed its focus from light aircraft to military aircraft. The company began by producing five North American NA-35 trainers under license with North American Aviation. Production by Vega really got underway with the Hudson, a patrol bomber designed for use by the Royal Air Force.

Vega entered a partnership between three companies (the other two being Boeing and Douglas) (abbreviated BVD) to produce the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Of over 12,000 B-17s produced by war's end, 2,750 were built by Vega. The company also built two experimental B-17 variants, the Boeing XB-38 Flying Fortress and the Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress.

By the end of November 1943, Vega had merged back into Lockheed, having far surpassed its original mission of producing light aircraft.[3] [4]

Aircraft

Model nameFirst flightNumber builtType
Vega Model 119381Modified version of the Lockheed Altair
Vega Model 2 Starliner19391Prototype lightplane
Vega Model 405Target drone
Vega 354Development of the North American NA-35
Vega HudsonLicense built version of Lockheed Hudson
Vega Ventura19413,028Twin engine medium/patrol bomber
Vega B-17 Flying Fortress19422,750License built version of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Vega XB-38 Flying Fortress19431Modified version of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress with inline engines
Vega YB-40 Flying Fortress19421Modified version of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress to gunship configuration

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lockheed Unit Takes New Name . 6 January 2020 . Los Angeles Times . 1 June 1938 . 10.
  2. Book: Of Men and Stars: A History of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation . July 1957 . Lockheed Aircraft Corporation . Burbank, California . 7–8 . Chapter V: Peace, Prosperity, Peril . http://www.mbmcdaniel.com/burbankia/of_men_and_stars_5.pdf . 6 January 2020.
  3. https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/vega-aircraft-corporation/ Thisdayinaviation.com Vega Aircraft Corporation
  4. Vega Wanes . Aviation News . 22 November 1943 . McGraw-Hill Publishing Corporation . 24 . 5 July 2021.