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How about the XP-75 for being the dumbest idea for an aircraft ever, even if it was redesigned so heavily that the fourteen that got built (after a tremendous and pointless expenditure of money) were only mediocre?

If you think that's bad, howabout the infamous McDonnel XF-85 Goblin?

For your amusement, check out this site:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/farmer/120/

Paul's Ugly Aircraft Shrine.

Patrick Degan wrote:If you think that's bad, howabout the infamous McDonnel XF-85 Goblin?

For your amusement, check out this site:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/farmer/120/

Paul's Ugly Aircraft Shrine.

Damn some of these are butt ugly.

Simon H.Johansen wrote:

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
I think it's fitting, SR-71 was also a band name.

There's also a metal band called Budgie, which had a SR71 on one of their albums. And I think it's common knowledge that a band named themselves the B-52s.....

(Some norwegian guys also started a band called "Mezzerschmitt")

The B-52s are named for a particular beehive hairdo, not the bomber.

Patrick Degan wrote:If you think that's bad, howabout the infamous McDonnel XF-85 Goblin?

Paul's Ugly Aircraft Shrine.

Ugh. Pain...

I think, though, that the XF-85 can be classified as a "detachable turret" as opposed to an aircraft..

Patrick Degan wrote:If you think that's bad, howabout the infamous McDonnel XF-85 Goblin?

For your amusement, check out this site:

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/farmer/120/

Paul's Ugly Aircraft Shrine.

I don't think the XF-85 is that ugly. In fact, I think it's rather cute.

But some of the other planes on that site (such as the Curtiss-Goupil "Duck", Delanne Duo-Mono, Westland-Hill Pterodactyl and Caproni Stipa) do indeed look like their designers were on LSD...

This one is a dumb idea,who`s in charge during flying.twin

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:How about the XP-75 for being the dumbest idea for an aircraft ever, even if it was redesigned so heavily that the fourteen that got built (after a tremendous and pointless expenditure of money) were only mediocre?

Only six prototypes got built half of which crashed, the only surviving example is at the Air Force Museum in Dayton. However production for 2,500 was authorized before the program was canacled.

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:

Patrick Degan wrote:If you think that's bad, howabout the infamous McDonnel XF-85 Goblin?

Paul's Ugly Aircraft Shrine.

Ugh. Pain...

I think, though, that the XF-85 can be classified as a "detachable turret" as opposed to an aircraft..

Scary thing is the concept was later revisited with RF-84's being operationally used as parasites from B-36's by SAC.

Sea Skimmer wrote:

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:

Patrick Degan wrote:If you think that's bad, howabout the infamous McDonnel XF-85 Goblin?

Paul's Ugly Aircraft Shrine.

Ugh. Pain...

I think, though, that the XF-85 can be classified as a "detachable turret" as opposed to an aircraft..

Scary thing is the concept was later revisited with RF-84's being operationally used as parasites from B-36's by SAC.

Sounds like the "Big Wing" Vulcan idea with three Folland Gnats under the wings to act as air defence escorts.

By the way, I found today that a guy in a rocket powered car sled took over 40 gees in acceleration and decelleration and survived, so the Amerika Bomber idea isn't that bad for the pilot, though it's still insane (if cool).

Montcalm wrote:This one is a dumb idea,who`s in charge during flying.twin

I still like the appearance of the plane, although I'd admit it's silly....

Admiral Valdemar wrote:By the way, I found today that a guy in a rocket powered car sled took over 40 gees in acceleration and decelleration and survived, so the Amerika Bomber idea isn't that bad for the pilot, though it's still insane (if cool).

I heard he was temporarly blind after that.

Simon H.Johansen wrote:

Montcalm wrote:This one is a dumb idea,who`s in charge during flying.twin

I still like the appearance of the plane, although I'd admit it's silly....

Another twin cockpit plane i remember,is the "Twin Mustang"

Montcalm wrote:

Admiral Valdemar wrote:By the way, I found today that a guy in a rocket powered car sled took over 40 gees in acceleration and decelleration and survived, so the Amerika Bomber idea isn't that bad for the pilot, though it's still insane (if cool).

I heard he was temporarly blind after that.

Yeah, Col. Dr. John Paul Stapp reached around 632 mph at Edwards AFB and stopped in 1.4 seconds, over 40 gees worth of force. His eyes were temporarily stuck to his eyelids though thus he was blinded for a while, of course that wasn't forward acceleration so the problem wouldn't occur that way.

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
By the way, I found today that a guy in a rocket powered car sled took over 40 gees in acceleration and decelleration and survived, so the Amerika Bomber idea isn't that bad for the pilot, though it's still insane (if cool).

So for how many minutes did he sustain 40 g's and what level of consciences did he retain? The pilot of the America bomber would be under 20+ g loadings for much of the flight and had to be able to fly the thing. You can survive far more then 40 g's for very short periods, but your not going to be doing anything.

There's also the simple matter that no material that exists today let alone in 1945 would survive the atmospheric friction.

Edit: 1.4 second and he was blinded? The pilot of the German hunk of junk would be under 20-25g for something like 20 minutes during the initial launch during which he needs to make course corrections.

Montcalm wrote:

Simon H.Johansen wrote:

Montcalm wrote:This one is a dumb idea,who`s in charge during flying.twin

I still like the appearance of the plane, although I'd admit it's silly....

Another twin cockpit plane i remember,is the "Twin Mustang"

Yep, it was actually mass-produced and served as a night fighter.

Montcalm wrote:
Another twin cockpit plane i remember,is the "Twin Mustang"

Except it worked quite well, scoring the first air to air kill in the Korean war and getting around another dozen for no losses.

There was a German jet called the Salamander which had a jet engine mounted on top of the engine (I'd hate to bail out) and was supposed to be piloted by Hitler Youth Glider pilots. A disaster.

Or the Komet (Kormet?) which regulary exploded, and had to be glided in (can't remember if it didn't have landing gear)

IIRC there was a naval fighter varient of the F-111 that was a failure.

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:There was a German jet called the Salamander which had a jet engine mounted on top of the engine (I'd hate to bail out) and was supposed to be piloted by Hitler Youth Glider pilots. A disaster.

Piloted by Hitlerjugend members?? Please tell me you're joking.

Simon H.Johansen wrote:
Piloted by Hitlerjugend members?? Please tell me you're joking.

He's not, plan was to train 16 year olds in gliders launch from hillsides and then throw them into jets.

IIRC there was a naval fighter varient of the F-111 that was a failure.

The F-111 was originally going to be amoung other things a naval interceptor armed with Eagle long range AAM's as a replacement for the canceled F6D Missilier, which was basically a flying SAM site. However as the F-111 program dragged on it became more a more apparent that it would utterly suck even if its only missions was to fire 100-mile range missiles at bombers. The navy pulled out of the program and built the F-14, and the Eagle was improved to become Phoenix

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:IIRC there was a naval fighter varient of the F-111 that was a failure.

F-111B. It was too heavy, IIRC, to be workable on the flattops.

Simon H.Johansen wrote: Piloted by Hitlerjugend members?? Please tell me you're joking.

HJ weren't uncommon in WW2. The British and Canadian forces
had a lot of problems with HJ units in france.

On the ground, not in the air.

Ahaha! Woohoo! They've got a picture of that Blackburn Blackburn I've been wanting to show everyone!
el picturo

Howedar wrote:Ahaha! Woohoo! They've got a picture of that Blackburn Blackburn I've been wanting to show everyone!
el picturo

2 words: UGG LY!