Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star: The American Aircraft That Flew Over Vietnam's Treetops Undetected

When discussing American stealth aircraft, designs like the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Northrop B-2 Spirit and the Lockheed U-2 "Dragon Lady" are often brought up. However, the US Army also operated a relatively mundane-looking one: the Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star. This aircraft wasn't difficult to detect because of the typical things (speed, radar-absorbing paint or unique shape). It's party trick was its complete silence.

What does it mean for an aircraft to be stealthy?

For aircraft, "stealth" is simply the ability to avoid detection via any means necessary. Those charged with coming up with these designs have developed a variety of ways to accomplish this, with the most extreme measures being the best known.

There's the SR-71 Blackbird , for example, with its top speed of 2,200 MPH . Another is the aforementioned B-2 Spirit , which has a complex shape and cutting-edge suite of electronics that significantly reduce its radar cross-section and help avoid detection.

However, there are other less "cool" ways to keep out of sight of the enemy.

Need for a small spotter aircraft in Vietnam

During the Vietnam War , the United States wanted a small spotter aircraft that could fly above the enemy-held jungle at 1,500 feet at night without being detected . At the time, the US Navy and Air Force didn't have one capable of successfully doing this without alerting both the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong long before their arrival.

For this job, neither speed, complex shapes nor expensive paint would suffice, so Lockheed, the selected contractor, needed to return to basics.

This wasn't Lockheed's first rodeo

Lockheed was given the contract by the US Department of Defense in 1968 - or, more specifically, the company's Space and Missile Division.

Thankfully, Lockheed had dabbled with silent aircraft just a few years before, when the company placed a quiet engine in a glider. The project looked promising, and the aircraft was shipped to Vietnam for testing, which it successfully completed. As such, these new requirements from the Pentagon were easy to meet.

Developing the Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star

Lockheed used a Schweizer glider as a starting point for what would become the YO-3 Quiet Star. Engineers swapped much of the original materials for lightweight metals and fiberglass, rarely found on aircraft at the time. The aim was to ensure the new design was as light as possible to reduce fuel consumption and increase duration in the air.

The cockpit was enlarged and a bigger canopy was installed for greater visibility. An extra crew member (the observer/spotter) was added in front of the pilot.

Making a 'stealthy' engine

Naturally, the engine was the hardest part to make "stealthy," as even internal combustion engines in other smaller aircraft create a lot of noise and, unlike car engines, they're required to run at near maximum power for extended periods of time, meaning they are often much larger in displacement to reduce stress and improve reliability. Even the propeller chopping through the air makes noise.

As a glider with further weight reduction, this new design didn't need a huge engine, so a Continental Model No.I0-360D power plant was used . This was connected to a slow-turning three-bladed propeller via a belt-and-pulley system. To contain the sound produced by the engine, fiberglass was packed around it . As well, the exhaust was designed to move through a muffler and ducts, toward the aircraft's rear. This virtually eliminated all sound.

Deploying the Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star

Work on the YO-3 Quiet Star was completed in 1969. Soon after, a number were sent to Vietnam for their baptism by fire, where they performed brilliantly and even exceeded the original requirements. Operating at night, they were so quiet that those below simply couldn't hear them, and if they ever did figure out they were being watched, the YO-3 was long gone.

Before any mission, the Lockheed YO-3 would takeoff and fly around the air base. Those on the ground would listen out for any abnormal noises (or just any noise at all) and signal the aircraft to come down if they did. Any rattles would be fixed and repairs would be quickly carried out, after which the aircraft would go on its way.

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The YO-3 was originally required to be silent from an altitude of over 1,500 feet, but crews realized the aircraft was so quiet that it could drop down to treetop level without detection. Over its service, no unit was hit by enemy fire. Unfortunately, the aircraft's arrival in Vietnam was too late to make a noticeable impact. After the conflict ended, some units wound up in the hands of NASA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).