Seven Mysteriously Strange Aircraft Designs
Published by Mankind have always been intrigued by flying and when aircraft designers watch one too many science fiction movie the result can be weird.
The Ornithopter
This aircraft that has been called a bird as well as a plane was designed by NASA’s institute for advanced concepts. The wings are created out of electroactive polymers which will allow the wings to create a flapping effect while gaining altitude. When at altitude it will have the ability to glide by using solar energy.
The SNUD-U14 Military Transport
The bent nose of this aircraft was a design secret of the Soviet Military until one aircraft crashed. It was then revealed that the blueprint of the aircraft was wrinkled and because damaging state property carried the death penalty, no one took responsibility.
The first flying saucer
Chance Vought was the designer of this disc shape craft in 1911 and was also called the umbrella craft. This aircraft didn’t end up in any production line, but Chance Vought produced some famous aircraft in the United States.
Dombrowski-Sedlitz Helicopter
This aircraft contained a 6000hp diesel locomotive engine while the fuselage was made of riveted sheet iron. The weight of the aircraft ended up being 56 tons and was barely able to lift off the ground. This deemed the aircraft useless as it was unable to carry the intended payload.
Hiller Flying Platform
This one man carrying flying platform was designed in 1955 by the Office of Naval Research. Unfortunately this platform never made it to production although it actually worked by being able to lift to a height of several feet.
Moller M200X Skycar
The M200X Skycar was developed by Moller International. It is capable of Vertical Takeoff and Landing by integrating their demonstrated technology. It is capable of carrying 2 people and has more than 200 manned and unmanned flying hours.
The Geobat
This extremely unique design featured on discovery channel.
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On September 22, 2008 at 10:26 am
Interesting aircraft designs.
On September 22, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Cool designs! Thanks for the info!
On September 22, 2008 at 2:23 pm
One man’s weirdness is another man’s imagination. Very cool.
On September 23, 2008 at 1:08 am
Cool!!
On September 25, 2008 at 4:43 am
Very cool. I will stumble this.
On September 25, 2008 at 7:54 am
Thanks for the article. Very informative.
On October 4, 2008 at 6:08 pm
The SNUD-U14 Military Transport and the Dombrowski-Sedlitz Helicopter are jokes from Bruce McCall’s book “Zany Afternoons”.
Other machines include The Humbly-Plunge Gallipoli heavyish bomber that failed to defend Singapore when they couldn’t find the boarding ladders. Also the French Septum NC 2501.2 high altitude bomber which could only be use at low altitude due to its need to carry a committee of bomb aimers.
Zany Afternoons published in 1972 is a book well worthwile looking out for in second hand bookshops.
On October 19, 2008 at 11:22 am
What a great collection of strange aircrafts!
On October 21, 2008 at 4:26 am
very interesting! thanks.
On November 11, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Very, very cool!
On November 14, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I want the skycar.
On January 16, 2009 at 5:07 pm
fascinating
On May 13, 2009 at 8:27 am
Aye, a couple of Mr. McCall’s satirically skewered selections from “Maj. Howdy Bixbie’s Album of Forgotten Warbirds.” do appear here.
I recall also in that article an Italian fighter with twin tails; one on each end, along with a swiveling cockpit, so that the pilot could switch sides from Axis to Ally, or vice-versa, in mid-air as circumstances dictated.
To my mind, there has never been a funnier collection of historical satire, nor one so arrestingly executed as “Zany Afternoons”.
Next time, please if you can, depict the French “Arc En Ciel”, a commercial airliner of the 60’s (also a McCall creation), so named because of its asymmetrical engine layout; two on one wing, one on the other. “Arc En Ciel”, loosely translated into English, is “rainbow”.
On March 30, 2010 at 8:22 pm
You missed one , the Oval H1N2 Hamilton all directional lifting shape which is designed to be added to any aircraft to increase lift and eliminate stall/spin events in low speed or high speed flight regimes. 007 Wingman at youtube.
On August 19, 2012 at 7:16 pm
Speaking as a retired airline pilot, that’s an awful lot of potential scrap for somebodies pile.