There have been many aircraft designs that just didn't quite make it. Something amiss, or just not the right time for that idea. Right after World War Two there were quite a number of aircraft designs that someone thought were "cool" but were rejected for one reason or another. Some never made it because jets were becoming the in thing, some were just impractical, or just not a good fit for the intended purpose, here are two. (click any photo to enlarge)
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The Vought V-173 Flying Pancake
Photo: U S Navy |
This "flying square" looking plane was designed for easy control and speed. The engines were located on the "wingtip" or outer edge of the square. It wasn't as easy to control as thought, and jet planes were on the way. The Navy flew this plane 190 times between 1942 and 1947.
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The "Pancake" V-173 from a different angle.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons |
For a short time the Navy thought maybe having a plane on each ship, for protection, would be a good idea. A number of designs were dreamed up, it never worked out, and planes were designed for carrier use only after this design proved hard to handle.
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Convair XFY-1 Pogo. At each wing tip the long "oreo strut" was for landing and moving.
Photo: U S Navy |
The Pogo took off vertically and then twisted to horizontal, the pilots seat turned too.
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