Unusual aircraft in aviation history

In the history of aviation has been a lot of strange. Sometimes even a pity that most of these "oddities" were only in the form of concepts and test models. What can you do: the main planes - reliability. In this collection - 15 strangest aircraft that has ever scrambled.

"Pregnant Guppy" and the plane wind tunnel. How is it fly ?!

Grumman X-29, 1984

Experimental aircraft with reverse wing. Total was built, commissioned by the Agency for Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA), two copies.

This experimental aircraft was created in an attempt to find new ways of development of military aviation and in connection with the uncovering of technological capabilities in the field of electronics and composite materials.

For various reasons, the firm Grumman has been selected as the developer and manufacturer, which received in December 1981 a contract worth $ 87 million dollars. For the production of the two planes. Flying aircraft copy was ready by the summer of 1984.

Aero Spacelines B-377, 1962

"Pregnant Guppy" NASA aircraft for the transport of oversized cargo.

The first aircraft Super Guppy, or "SG", was built with the use of the fuselage Boeing the C-97 military transport aircraft (military version of the Boeing 377). The fuselage has been lengthened to 43 meters and its diameter is increased up to 7, 6 m (maximum inner diameter); length of the inner cargo hold is 28, 8 m. The fuselage is narrowed down, and the width of the floor was 2.7 m.

In the new aircraft turboprop engines Pratt & Whitney T-34-P-7 were established. wing design has been modified and tail. Plane Weight increased to 24 545 kg, cruising speed - up to 480 km / h.

Nemeth Parasol, 1934

Monoplane with a perfectly round wing. This aircraft is a conventional strut-braced monoplane (the wing is located above the fuselage on struts, in the same way as is done in traditional biplanes), except for the shape of the wing. Circular wing of the plane was on the wingtips ailerons.

According to the developers, the main advantage of this two-seater equipped with a radial engine Warner Scarab capacity of 120 liters. from. It was that a small extension of the wing allowed to fly at large. than normal, angle of attack, which in turn guarantee a slow and dangerous decline, a similar reduction in the parachute.

Martin XB-51, 1945

Trimotored bomber custom layout.

a large variety of cars and among them were many with original design was developed in the postwar period. Among them stands out the bomber XB-51 developed by the American company Glenn L. Martin Company. The most notable design feature of this machine is the number and location of engines: two engines were placed under the bow and one in the tail.

The aircraft - cantilever mid, having swept wing and tail surfaces. The first calculations showed that the take-off weight bomber approaching 36 tonnes.

Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster, 1944

Experimental bomber with piston engines. I had two piston engines, rotating coaxial screws in the tail of the fuselage. According to the American historian Bowers aviation is the fastest piston bomber in history. The first prototype flight took place on May 6, 1944. Total was built 2 copies, one of which crashed December 16, 1945, and the second (XB-42A) was converted into a flying laboratory for testing of Westinghouse 19XB-2A rocket engines.

Rockwell XFV-12, 1977

Deck aircraft short takeoff. For a long time American aviation industry studied problems of aircraft vertical / short takeoff. a new project work started in the early seventies and were directly related to the current plans for upgrading the Navy.

Design and construction of the prototype did not meet the schedule, then have problems in tests. Long finishing too, did not give the desired results. After the closure of the project only built prototype was sent to storage. He was subsequently dismantled, and then dismantled.

Leduc 0.20, 1953

Experimental fighter-interceptor. The prototype, which instead of additional engines on the ends of the wing fuel tanks were received symbol 0.20. He was subjected to January 1954, after which he was transferred to the museum.

Work on this aircraft began in 1952, and to the creation of the prototype started in 1953. Due to the fact that the construction of the aircraft was delayed his flight test was conducted only 26 October 1956 Leduc 0.22 is built on the classical scheme sredneplan with swept wings.

Ames-Dryden-1, 1979

NASA research aircraft for studying variable wing geometry. The world's first aircraft with "oblique-wing." Compared with the variable sweep wing symmetrically this scheme has to 11-20% less drag, less than 14% weight and 26% smaller wave resistance.

The aircraft was built in 1979 and made its first flight on December 29 the same year. Tests were carried out before the beginning of 1982. During this time, AD-1, 17 pilots have mastered. After closing the program put the plane in San Carlos City Museum, where it remains to this day.

Snecma C-450, 1958

Combat aircraft vertical take-off with an annular wing. Research VTOL jet in France began in 1954. During one such flight July 25, 1958 the aircraft went out of control at a height of 75 meters, crashed and burned, the pilot managed to eject to a height of 18 - 22 meters, but as a result of unsuccessful landing damaged the spine.

Edgley Optica, 1983

Light reconnaissance and observation aircraft. It was developed as an alternative to light helicopters. The first flight took place in 1979; serial production continued intermittently from 1983 to 1990, a total of 21 aircraft built.

A number of aircraft were acquired UK police forces. However, after a police aircraft crash in Hampshire, povlokshey death of two crew members of the company's financial position has deteriorated, that later led to its bankruptcy.

Aviation Traders ATL.98Carvair, 1961

Experimental combi aircraft. Designing an aircraft model Aviation Traders ATL.98Carvair started by British engineers, aircraft designers in the late 50-ies of the last century. As a basis for the new aircraft, which were initiators of creation of the company in need of cargo aircraft, used aircraft model Douglas DC-4.

In addition to the transportation of various types of cargo, aircraft Aviation Traders ATL.98Carvair supposed to also be used for the transport of persons. At the end of 1961 this transport aircraft entered series production. Over the entire period of release, the British aircraft manufacturers have been built 28 aircraft Aviation Traders ATL.98Carvair model, while, to date, operation of aircraft stopped completely, and save multiple copies constitute exposure to several museums.

Vought XF-5U, 1943

"Flying pancake" deck fighter VTOL. More precisely, carrier-based fighter pilot, to explore the United States Navy during World War II.

Also, the fighter had two four-blade propeller of a large magnitude, equipped with its own swash. propeller blades were made of mahogany (Mahogany) had a complex profiled shape and fastened to screws steel eyelets. This would help to avoid stalling at high angles of attack -40-50 °. The screws rotate in opposite directions are synchronized with each other.

McDonnell X-85 Goblin, 1948

The prototype fighter escort, which could be based on the bombers.

In March 1947 by the US Air Force received an order for the development of two prototypes, and August 23, 1948, the first solo flight. The aircraft was launched from the bomber Boeing EB-29B. As a result, flight testing, it was found that turbulence around bomber creates serious control problems.

Blohm & Voss BV 141, 1938

Reconnaissance aircraft with an asymmetrical tail and layout. It seemed that the asymmetric design is dangerous disbalansiruet plane. However, flight tests confirmed the excellent stability and maneuverability of the machine. In addition, the increased weight of the airplane right hand reactive torque compensated engine.

a few broken BV 141. One of them was captured by the British and sent to the designers in the UK were found In 1945, the advancing Allied forces, however, no evidence that it carried out flight tests. Up to now I have not reached any one instance of this unusual aircraft.

Stipa-Caproni, 1932

Experimental aircraft for studying the air flows. Italian is an experimental aircraft designed in 1932 by Luigi Stipe (Luigi Stipa) and built by Caproni (Caproni). As the base material used for timber construction.

The fuselage had a barrel-like shape.