Strange Airplanes from WWII

MiTasol · Jul 21, 2021

And the Fleet 60 (Fort) trainer - it had a fixed gear but retractable "fairings" to "simulate" retractable landing gears

Fleet 60 Fort - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To me, the photos on Wiki make it look bigger than it really is.

Milosh · Jul 21, 2021

MiTasol said:
And the Fleet 60 (Fort) trainer - it had a fixed gear but retractable "fairings" to "simulate" retractable landing gears

Fleet 60 Fort - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To me, the photos on Wiki make it look bigger than it really is.

Retractable fairings?

Shortround6 · Jul 21, 2021

Gives the student a switch to play with that won't hurt the plane if left in the wrong position

MiTasol · Jul 21, 2021

Milosh said:
Retractable fairings?

To quote wiki
An unusual feature was the fixed undercarriage. Although fixed, the undercarriage was fitted with a retractable fairing. This feature was intended to familiarize student pilots with an undercarriage retraction mechanism but without causing external damage by a forgetful student.

The several times I saw Forts being restored were in the late 60s at a farm in Saskatchewan Canada. I was impressed by the size (small) and workmanship but did not pay any attention to the cockpit.

It would be interesting to find if any manuals or pilot notes survived. None are listed in Worldcat.

GrauGeist · Jul 21, 2021

It's actually a brilliant idea, really.

The repetitive motions of raising/lowering gear becomes ingrained, reducing the chance of ground incidents - which happened quite a bit when new pilots transitioned from basic to advanced trainers and/or into front line aircraft.

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 21, 2021

SplitRz said:
Oh, you mean something as ugly as this? (But don't go believing all you read on Hush Kit) View attachment 611743

This is simply a Sopwith Camel suffering 'roid rage.

Admiral Beez · Jul 21, 2021

GrauGeist said:
It's actually a brilliant idea, really.

The repetitive motions of raising/lowering gear becomes ingrained, reducing the chance of ground incidents - which happened quite a bit when new pilots transitioned from basic to advanced trainers and/or into front line aircraft.

Reminds me of the Gloster F5/34

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 21, 2021

Shortround6 said:
Well, Blackburn was responding to official specifications, the planes they built were judged to be the best bet by the air ministry of fulfilling the specification out of all the proposals submitted. given a choice between the Blackburn design and Westland's it is a tough call.
View attachment 614081

That frog has grown wings.

Milosh · Jul 21, 2021

MiTasol said:
To quote wiki
An unusual feature was the fixed undercarriage. Although fixed, the undercarriage was fitted with a retractable fairing. This feature was intended to familiarize student pilots with an undercarriage retraction mechanism but without causing external damage by a forgetful student.

https://www.flugzeuginfo.net/images...t_rcaf_3540_05_canadianwarplanemuseum2013.jpg

Don't look retractable to me.

MiTasol · Jul 22, 2021

Certainly do not to me either and Wiki has never been known for accuracy.

However Wiki do say 100% of Forts produced were built as, or converted to, Wireless (Radio) trainers and the small football antenna just forward of the rear canopy in both the Wiki and flugzeuginfo photos suggests the CNAC example is a Wireless trainer rather than an unconverted early example. In order to compensate for the weight of all the ~~boat anchors~~ radios fitted I would expect the retractable fairings to have been deleted, along with anything else that was not essential for training radio operators like dual controls, instruments, etc.

The drip trays under the aircraft in the flugzeuginfo photo suggest this aircraft is airworthy and operational which is great.

msxyz · Jul 22, 2021

Ambrosini SS.4

Predated the J7W and the XP55 by a few years... Development was halted in 1942 and, during development, the chief test pilot died after a hard landing in the first prototype, crushed by the engine (the large mass of the engine, located at the front, actually protected the pilot in conventional planes in similar accidents).

SaparotRob · Jul 22, 2021

msxyz said:
Ambrosini SS.4

View attachment 633233

Predated the J7W and the XP55 by a few years... Development was halted in 1942 and, during development, the chief test pilot died after a hard landing in the first prototype, crushed by the engine (the large mass of the engine, located at the front, actually protected the pilot in conventional planes in similar accidents).

And another new one for me.

GrauGeist · Jul 22, 2021

Quite a few manufacturers were experimenting with pushers in the late 30's and early 40's:
Handley-Page, Vultee, MiG, Northrop, Miles, Saab

msxyz · Jul 22, 2021

SaparotRob said:
And another new one for me.

Somebody even made a flying RC model of it:

Piaggio (they don't make only trendy scooters ) still have a pusher in production, although, this one also has a T tail: it's as if it's as if a J7W and a DC-9 mated and had an offrsping

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 22, 2021

msxyz said:
Somebody even made a flying RC model of it:

Piaggio (they don't make only trendy scooters ) still have a pusher in production, although, this one also has a T tail: it's as if it's as if a J7W and a DC-9 mated and had an offrsping

View attachment 633236

Wasn't there a swept-wing turbo-prop canard, pusher civvy aircraft introduced in the 80s similar to this planform as well?

A little Googling reminds me -- the Beech Starship, sold in the tens of aircraft.

It apparently couldn't compete with Learjets et al.

SplitRz · Jul 22, 2021

What about this odd ball beauty from 1932...?

View attachment 633250

SplitRz · Jul 22, 2021

What about this odd ball beauty from 1932...?

GrauGeist · Jul 22, 2021

SplitRz said:
What about this odd ball beauty from 1932...?

View attachment 633251

One of the types made by Miles (I mentioned them earlier).

This is the Miles M.35, they also built one that was similar, the M.39 although it was a twin engine "tractor" configuration.

SplitRz · Jul 22, 2021

Aha, like the man in orthopaedic shoes, you stand corrected sir!

The airframe in question is a product of the fertile mind of GTR Hill and made in partnership with Westland. It is the Westland-hill pterodactyl v. Here it is in flight:

Some more info here - Westland Pterodactyl V - tailless fighter sesquiplane

GrauGeist · Jul 22, 2021

Ok, on this cellphone, the angle of the image (which is real dark, by the way) appareared to be the M.35 - looking closer, I can see the struts now.

Here's the M.35:

Strange Airplanes from WWII

1st Lieutenant

Senior Master Sergeant

Major General

1st Lieutenant

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Major

Major

Major

Senior Master Sergeant

1st Lieutenant

Senior Airman

Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Senior Airman

Major

Senior Airman

Senior Airman

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Senior Airman

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

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