Unusual Aircraft

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Thanks, Buffnut! I was wondfering why in then world you'd have a glass windshield ona tank!

Hey Graeme,

That looks like the Greek letter pi on top of a capital "T", all turned upside down! .... or maybe a Heston A.2/45 or JC.6, circa 1936?
 
Greg, you mentioned that the Kyushu J7W1 was unusual, but how about an even rarer and perhaps a little more unusual one?

The Kawasaki KI-64, which was a twin-engined aircraft, each engine running each element of the contra-rotating prop assembly. The engine placement had one engine ahead of the cockpit, the rear engine was aft.

Kawasaki_KI-64.jpg

KI-64_cutaway.jpg
 
One of the good ones, Graugeist. I have always liked it. I thought it showed potential, but none of the tandem-engine planes that LOOKED like single engine planes seem to have "made it." There were several tandem-enging planes of interest including the Latecoere Late 299A shown below:

late299-5.jpg


You can see the second engine stack exit just in front of the cockpit. Is that wierd landing gear, or what?

Another was the Arsenal VB.10 ("VB" standing for Vernisse and M. Badie) shown:

arsenal-vb-10-02-side.jpg


and the Bolkhovitinov S (Sparka):

bolkhovitinov-s-2m-103-side.jpg


Looks "interesting," but hardly looks practical. Still, I'm sure they had a reason for developing it. We only wish we knew what that reason was!

and maybe the Macchi M.C. 72:

maxresdefault.jpg


I'm SURE I'm leaving out a few, and I'm also sure someone will remember them all. None seem to have made it into quantity production, but all were interesting in their own way.
 
Of all the tandem engine types (excluding the Do335), I think the KI-64 not only had good looks, but was perhaps the best designed.

Ok, perhaps not very unusual, but very rare - can you name an Axis aircraft that looks very much like the Me209 (not the Me209II) and a hint: it had a DB601A
 
You can have a field day with unusual French aircraft.

The Bastet Mono-wheel from the early 60's..

Monowheel.jpg

.
 
Hi Dave.
The Kawasaki Ki-78?

Another German looking machine. The Skoda-Kauba V5....

View attachment 364643
Yes indeed, Graeme!

The KI-78, only one built. Very interesting concept with the radiator location and cowling flaps (seen just behind the cockpit in this photo).
KI-78_3.jpg

It survived the war, but sadly, not for long...
KI-78_crushed_Gifu_1945.jpg
 
I have to say ... some GOOD ones here! I am a fan of the rare and unusual types, and there are a LOT of them. Unfoirtunately, just becasue you have seen a pic of it ... doesn't mean you ever FIND it again ... al teast, that's what it means for ME.

Sometimes frustrating, but always interesting. One of my favorites was the Mistubishi Ki-83:

mitsubishi-ki-83-side.jpg


They only made four, but they certainly impressed US post-war pilots. Fast, well armed, and dangerous.
 
Or what about the MiG-13?

Mig-13.jpg


First flight of this aircraft was made on March 3, 1945. The first two crashed, the same as with the MIG-11. The MIG-11 had the unusual disadvantage of being a "mixed-power" which used, or tried to use an engine "accelerator" which was a complex called the VRDK. This engine used a reaction engine compressor which fed compressed air via a water radiator to a mixing chamber under pressure with the mixture being ignited in a walled combustion chamber and then ejected providing thrust for 10 minutes and boosting speed. It is no wonder this complex aircraft met with a predictable crashes.
Reminds me of the XP-77....

bell_xp-77_1.jpg
 
Yeah, I was in Jr High / high school when she was on TV, so raging hormones played a small role with that, too. ;)
 
Actually, at the time, I was more of a Jaclyn Smith fan, than Linda Carter.

As far as the aft cockpit layout, sort of reminds me of some Italian types and Curtiss' attempt to get more out of the P-36 with their YP-37.
 
Don't get me started, Grau Geist.
Jacklyn Smith was my other love back then...not to mention, Heather Locklear and Jan Smithers!
...and apologies to Capt. Vick for using the "I" instead of the "Y". :oops:
 

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