NOTE: RADIO CONTROL AIRPLANES ARE ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE PAGE.
The Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star operated in Vietnam in 1968. It was built by the Lockheed Greenhouse works.
Only eleven of the aircraft were built. Nine were deployed to Vietnam. They operated out of Hue Phu Bai, Long Thang North and Binh Thuy in 1970 - 71.
The aircraft were silent at 1,000 feet, but often flew much lower. They were equipped with night vision aerial periscopes (NVAP) with an infra red illuminator. Some aircraft had laser target designators.
The propeller was driven by a 12 belt reduction system that kept the its tips subsonic. The aircraft were slow flyers - about 70 knots, and had four hour mission capabilities.
Their engines were Continental IO-360. Propellers were wooden.
The aircraft were painted with a special radar absorbing paint. When the pilot turned off the transponder, the tower could not pick up the plane on radar.
Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star aircraft operated for eighteen months (summer '70 to fall '71.) The planes never took a round or were shot down.
The aircraft was used briefly by the Louisiana Fish and Game after Vietnam. The planes were too successful at catching illegal shrimpers and Louisiana sold them to the FBI. It was the 1st and last aircraft in the FBI Air Force.
Today NASA still uses a Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star as an airborne acoustic platform for rotorcraft acoustic testing. It was also involved in sonic boom testing.
Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star 69-18007 is currently undergoing restoration at Cable Airport. We hope to have it up and flying in a couple of years.
The above information is from our friend Kurt Olney - Crew Chief YO-3A 69-18007, Hue Phu Bai, RVN 1970 - 1971, Vice President Quiet Aircraft Assn.
observation
two
Continental IO-360
1 x 210 hp
3,230 lbs.
29' 4”
57' 0”
80 mph
10,000 feet
400 miles
1968
Radio Control Airplane
The rc YO-3A Quiet Star by Keith Sparks.
Radio Control Airplanes:
Pictured above and below is the nice looking rc Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star built by Keith Sparks. It has a wingspan of 74" and a length of 42".
In keeping with the scale appearance of the real aircraft, the rc airplane has a 9 x 7 six blade propeller. Powering the propeller is an E-flight 480 outrunner 910 KVA motor.
Bob McDaniel wrote to tell us that in the April 2008 issue of Model Airplane News there is a construction article for the Keith Sparks rc Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star.
If you are looking for rc YO-3A Quiet Star plans only, they are available directly from Model Airplane News by asking for plan # FSP-0408A. Bob says that the radio control airplane is a very good looking RC model.......Thank you Bob.
The YO-3A Quiet Star rc airplane should make an excellent motor glider.
Have you built a rc YO-3A Quiet Star radio control airplane or know of one that should be included on this page? Email us.
Lockheed YO-3A Quiet Star
