There are quite a few flying vehicles in the world, whose appearance is simply amazing.
Some of them are experimental models that never got off the ground, as they were designed by designers who think of themselves as engineers. And although, on the one hand, such nonsense has no place in museums ... On the other hand, it makes sense to keep them there for edification.
And, of course, other developments are encouraging.
1. Development of NASA "M2-F1" has received the nickname "Flying Bath". It was supposed to be used as a capsule for the landing of astronauts. The first test flight took place on August 16, 1963. And in 1966 - the last one. 
2. At the NASA airbase, from mid-1979 to January 1983, two aircraft were tested on remote control... Compared to conventional fighters, they were significantly smaller in size, more maneuverable and withstood a large overload. 
3. The prototype of the McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft was invented by aircraft designers only to verify the flying abilities of tailless aircraft. It was developed in 1977. Remote control. 
4. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - the world's first airplane with an oblique wing. Experimental 1979 model. Its tests were carried out for about three years. After that, the plane was placed in the museum of the city of San Carlos. 
5. Boeing Vertol VZ-2 wings rotate. Distinctive feature from other similar aircraft, is its ability to take off vertically and hover in the air. It was developed in 1957. After a series of successful tests that lasted for three years, it was transferred to Research Center NASA. 
6. The heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world, developed by Soviet scientists - employees of the design bureau. M. L. Mila in 1969. It is capable of lifting a load weighing 40 tons to a height of 2250 meters. Nobody has managed to break this record yet. 
7. "Avrocar" - an aircraft developed in 1952 in Canada. Scientists worked on its creation for seven years, but the project was a failure. The maximum height to which the "saucer" could rise did not exceed one and a half meters. 
8. Northrop XP-79B had two jet engines and a very strange look... According to the idea of American developers, the fighter was supposed to dive at enemy bombers and smash them, chopping off the tail section. But the first flight in 1945 ended in disaster. It happened at the fifteenth minute of the flight. 
9. In 2007, according to the Times poll, the Boeing X-48 was recognized as the best invention. This is the result of a joint collaboration between the American company Boeing and NASA. The first flight took place in the summer of 2007. The unmanned vehicle rose to an altitude of 2300 meters and landed safely in 31 minutes. 
10. Another non-standard development of NASA is the NASA Hyper III aircraft. 
11. The legendary Vought V-173 aircraft, created by American engineer Charles Zimmerman, was often called the "Flying Pancake" for its unusual appearance. But, despite this, he had excellent flight properties. It was the Vought V-173 that became one of the first vertical / short take-off and landing vehicles. 
12. HL-10 was used to study and test the possibility of safe maneuvering and landing on a vehicle with low aerodynamic quality after its return from space. Developed by NASA. 
13. Su-47 "Berkut" - carrier-based fighter, designed in 1997 at the OKB im. Sukhoi (Russia). Composite materials were used to create it. Distinctive feature are the forward-swept wings. On this moment refers to experimental models. 
14. Grumman X-29 - the main project of 1984 by the Grumman Aerospace corporation. It can be safely called the prototype of the Russian Su-47 "Berkut". In total, two such fighters were assembled (a special order from the agency for promising defense research projects of the United States). 
15. LTV XC-142 is capable of taking off vertically. He has swivel wings. Its first flight took place on September 29, 1964. In 1970, the project was frozen. Of the five aircraft built, only one has survived to date. It became part of the United States Air Force Museum's exhibit. 
16. The experimental ekranoplan, developed in the design bureau of R. E. Alekseev, was officially called "Ship - model" or abbreviated "KM", but it was often called simply "Caspian monster". Its wingspan was 37.6 m, length - 92 m, maximum takeoff weight - 544 tons. Over the course of 15 years, numerous experimental flights were carried out, but in 1980, due to a pilot error, the giant crashed. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But there were no attempts to restore the CM. 
17. "Super Guppy" is nicknamed the "Air Whale" and is used by NASA to deliver bulky items to the ISS. Development belongs to Aero Spacelines. 
18. Monoplane firm "Douglas" with a pointed nose - an experimental model. The first test flight took place in 1952. 
19. This module, created in 1963, was part of the epic Apollo project. It was planned to use it for landing on the moon. He had only one jet engine. 
20. Sikorsky S-72 first took to the skies on October 12, 1976. In 1987, the already modernized S-72 saw the light. But soon the project was closed due to insufficient funding. 
21. Ryan X-13A-RY Vertijet designed in 1950 in America. This is a vertical take-off and landing jet, commissioned by the US Air Force. 
22. Another module for landing on the moon. Was also part of the Apollo project. Developed in 1964. Able to perform vertical fit and take off.
There are quite a few flying vehicles in the world, whose appearance is simply amazing. Most of them are experimental models that never got off the ground. In today's selection you will find an overview of the most non-standard flying structures created in different time aircraft developers from different countries.
1. Development of NASA "M2-F1" has received the nickname "Flying Bath". It was supposed to be used as a capsule for the landing of astronauts. The first test flight took place on August 16, 1963. And in 1966 - the last one.
2. At NASA airbase, from mid-1979 to January 1983, two remote-controlled aircraft were tested. Compared to conventional fighters, they were significantly smaller in size, more maneuverable and withstood a large overload.
3. The prototype of the McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft was invented by aircraft designers only to verify the flying abilities of tailless aircraft. It was developed in 1977. Remote control.
4. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - the world's first airplane with an oblique wing. Experimental 1979 model. Its tests were carried out for about three years. After that, the plane was placed in the museum of the city of San Carlos.
5. Boeing Vertol VZ-2 wings rotate. A distinctive feature from other similar aircraft is its ability to take off vertically and hover in the air. It was developed in 1957. After a series of successful tests that lasted three years, it was transferred to the NASA research center.
6. The heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world, developed by Soviet scientists - employees of the design bureau. M. L. Mila in 1969. It is capable of lifting a load weighing 40 tons to a height of 2250 meters. Nobody has managed to break this record yet.
7. "Avrocar" - an aircraft developed in 1952 in Canada. Scientists worked on its creation for seven years, but the project was a failure. The maximum height to which the "saucer" could rise did not exceed one and a half meters.
8. Northrop XP-79B had two jet engines and a very strange look. According to the idea of American developers, the fighter was supposed to dive at enemy bombers and smash them, chopping off the tail section. But the first flight in 1945 ended in disaster. It happened at the fifteenth minute of the flight.
9. In 2007, according to the Times poll, the Boeing X-48 was recognized as the best invention. This is the result of a joint collaboration between the American company Boeing and NASA. The first flight took place in the summer of 2007. The unmanned vehicle rose to an altitude of 2300 meters and landed safely in 31 minutes.
10. Another non-standard development of NASA is the NASA Hyper III aircraft.
11. The legendary Vought V-173 aircraft, created by American engineer Charles Zimmerman, was often called the "Flying Pancake" for its unusual appearance. But, despite this, he had excellent flight properties. It was the Vought V-173 that became one of the first vertical / short take-off and landing vehicles.
12. HL-10 was used to study and test the possibility of safe maneuvering and landing on a vehicle with low aerodynamic quality after its return from space. Developed by NASA.
13. Su-47 "Berkut" - carrier-based fighter, designed in 1997 at the OKB im. Sukhoi (Russia). Composite materials were used to create it. A distinctive feature is the forward-swept wings. At the moment it belongs to experimental models.
14. Grumman X-29 - the main project of 1984 by the Grumman Aerospace corporation. It can be safely called the prototype of the Russian Su-47 "Berkut". In total, two such fighters were assembled (a special order from the agency for promising defense research projects of the United States).
15. LTV XC-142 is capable of taking off vertically. He has swivel wings. Its first flight took place on September 29, 1964. In 1970, the project was frozen. Of the five aircraft built, only one has survived to date. It became part of the United States Air Force Museum's exhibit.
16. The experimental ekranoplan, developed in the design bureau of R. E. Alekseev, was officially called "Ship - model" or abbreviated "KM", but it was often called simply "Caspian monster". Its wingspan was 37.6 m, length - 92 m, maximum takeoff weight - 544 tons. Over the course of 15 years, numerous experimental flights were carried out, but in 1980, due to a pilot error, the giant crashed. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But there were no attempts to restore the CM.
17. "Super Guppy" is nicknamed the "Air Whale" and is used by NASA to deliver bulky items to the ISS. Development belongs to Aero Spacelines.
18. Monoplane firm "Douglas" with a pointed nose - an experimental model. The first test flight took place in 1952.
19. This module, created in 1963, was part of the epic Apollo project. It was planned to use it for landing on the moon. He had only one jet engine.
20. Sikorsky S-72 first took to the skies on October 12, 1976. In 1987, the already modernized S-72 saw the light. But soon the project was closed due to insufficient funding.
21. Ryan X-13A-RY Vertijet designed in 1950 in America. This is a vertical take-off and landing jet, commissioned by the US Air Force.
22. Another module for landing on the moon. Was also part of the Apollo project. Developed in 1964. Capable of vertical landing and takeoff.
To create truly great weapons, engineers sometimes resort to non-standard solutions... This is especially pronounced in the arms race during the war. We have already published a rating of the most influential technology from the Second World War. Now we present to your attention a list of ten of the strangest, non-standard aircraft from the Second World War.
Blohm & Voss BV 141 is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed by the German company Blohm & Voss. In 1937, the Reich Air Ministry issued requirements for a new reconnaissance aircraft that would provide a pilot good overview from the cockpit. This competition was attended by the Arado companies with the Arado Ar 198 project, Focke-Wulf with a fairly common twin-engined Fw 189 aircraft and Blomm and Foss with an asymmetric Bv 141. However, the very first test of the BV 141 aircraft conducted on February 25, 1938 showed that the capacity of the 1000-horsepower Bramo 323 is not enough and therefore the preference for production was given to the Fw 189. A total of 28 BV 141 units were built, including prototypes. Not a single copy of this unusual aircraft has survived to this day, all of them were destroyed.
The Horten Ho IX is a prototype of a German jet fighter / bomber developed at the end of World War II by aircraft designers, the brothers Walter and Raimar Horten. It is the world's first jet-powered "flying wing". Horten Ho IX was approved by the Reich Minister of the Reich Ministry of Aviation Hermann Goering, who, shortly before its development, announced a competition for the 1000 * 1000 * 1000 program (an aircraft carrying a bomb load of 1000 kg and flying at a speed of 1000 km / h, for a range of 1000 km ). The first flight of the H IXV1 aircraft took place in Göttingen on March 1, 1944. A total of 3 copies were designed. On April 14, 1945, one of the aircraft was captured, disassembled and sent to the United States. At the beginning of 2015, work is underway to restore it.
The Vought V-173 is an American experimental vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed by renowned aeronautical engineer Charles Zimmerman. The first flight of the V-173 was made on November 23, 1942, under the control of test pilot Boone Gateton. In total, as part of the test, the aircraft made 190 flights. The last one is March 31, 1947. As of April 2012, the Vought V-173 is in the Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas, USA. Vought V-173 became the prototype for a similar, heavier (5 times) aircraft Vought XF 5U-1.
Boulton Paul Defiant
Bolton Paul Difiant is a British two-seat fighter aircraft built by Boulton Paul Aircraft under the direction of John Dudley North. The main feature of the aircraft was its armament. It was equipped with a machine gun mounted behind the cockpit, which could rotate. The fighter made its first flight on August 11, 1937, and at the time of their commissioning in 1939, Bolton Paul Difiant was considered obsolete due to poor maneuverability. Since 1942, the aircraft did not take part in combat missions, but was used only for training. In total, about 1072 units were built.
Bell YFM-1 Airacuda is an American heavy fighter / bomber developed in the second half of the 1930s by Bell Aircraft. The first flight took place on September 1, 1937, but due to significant shortcomings: too heavy, slow, extremely unstable, the engines are very sensitive to overheating and did not provide sufficient thrust, etc. - it was decommissioned. In total, 13 vehicles were produced, none of which took part in combat missions.
The fifth place in the list of strange aircraft of the Second World War is occupied by the "A-40" or "KT" - an aircraft designed in a single copy by Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov on the basis of the T-60 tank to support partisans. His first and last flight under the control of the famous glider pilot Sergei Anokhin took place near Moscow on September 2, 1942. Included in the list of the strangest tanks.
Junkers Ju 287 - German bomber, which was the first in the world to use a forward-swept wing. With the development of turbojet engines in the Third Reich, the Ministry of Aviation set the task of developing medium and long-range bombers that would outperform enemy fighters in speed. Work on the project of an airplane with 4 jet engines began at the turn of 1942/43 under the leadership of Professor Geirich Gertel and engineer Hans Voke. In December 1943, the Air Ministry ordered the construction of a prototype. The first flight took place on August 8, 1944 near Leipzig. Tests have shown good flight characteristics of the aircraft. However, in September 1944, all work was stopped.
The Junkers Ju 287 was equipped with 4 jet engines, which allowed the aircraft to reach speeds of 700-780 km / h, which made the bomber, in terms of speed, unattainable for all fighters of the allied army. In total, 2 copies were designed, which were captured by the Red Army and taken to the USSR, where captured German engineers developed the OKB-1 EF 131 aircraft on their basis.
In third place on the list of strange aircraft from the Second World War is the Cornelius XFG-1, an American glider designed for refueling in the air for long-range bombers. It was developed in the 1940s by George Cornelius and was conceived as a "flying fuel tank" that the bomber towed behind it. The glider made its first flight in October 1944. In total, 2 prototypes were designed, one of which was lost. Between 1944 and 1945, the gliders made 32 flights. In 1945, the project was closed.
Zveno-SPB
The Link project is an aviation project developed in the USSR in the late 1930s and early 1940s by engineer V. S. Vakhmistrov. The project was based on the use of a carrier aircraft, carrying from one to five fighters to increase their range. The first successful flight took place on December 4, 1931, then it was a TB-1 heavy bomber carrying two I-4 fighters on its wings. Later, the I-4 aircraft were replaced by the I-5. The baptism of fire of the Zveno-SPB project took place on July 26, 1941. His task was to bomb the Charles I Bridge on the Danube. The task was completed successfully. In 1942 Zveno-SPB made no less than 30 sorties.
Looking at these aircrafts, one wonders what they have in common with airplanes and how does it fly in general ... But nevertheless, they manage to fly quite well and are considered airplanes.
Wingless. NASA's M2-F1 project has been nicknamed the "flying bath". The developers saw its main purpose in use as a capsule for landing astronauts. The first flight of this wingless aircraft took place on August 16, 1963, and exactly three years later on the same day, the last one took place:
Tailless. A prototype McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft built with one goal in mind: to test the flying abilities of tailless aircraft. It was built in 1997 and, as conceived by the developers, could be controlled remotely from the ground:
Taking off vertically. The LTV XC-142 is an American experimental vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft with a rotary wing. It made its first flight on September 29, 1964. Five aircraft were built. The program ended in 1970. The only surviving copy of the aircraft is on display at the US Air Force Museum:
Rotorcraft. Sikorsky S-72 - experimental helicopter. The first flight of the S-72 took place on October 12, 1976. The flight of the upgraded S-72 took place on December 2, 1987, but after the following three flights, funding was terminated:
Air whale. Super Guppy is a transport aircraft for the transportation of oversized cargo. Developer - Aero Spacelines. Released in the amount of five copies in two modifications. The first flight was in August 1965. The only flying "air whale" belongs to NASA and is operated to deliver large-sized items for the ISS:
Remote controlled. From mid-1979 to January 1983, two remotely piloted HiMAT vehicles were tested at NASA airbase. Each plane was approximately half smaller F-16, but had almost double the superiority in maneuverability. At a transonic speed of sound at an altitude of 7500 m, the device could make a turn with an overload of 8 g, for comparison, an F-16 fighter at the same altitudes withstands an overload of only 4.5 g. At the end of the research, both devices were retained:
For flights to the moon. This lander, built in 1963, was part of the Apollo project, which aimed at the first manned landing on the moon. The module was equipped with one jet engine:
Caspian Monster. "KM" (Model Ship), also known abroad as "Caspian Monster" - an experimental ekranoplan, developed in the design bureau of R. E. Alekseev. The ekranoplan had a wingspan of 37.6 m, a length of 92 m, a maximum take-off weight of 544 tons. Before the appearance of the An-225 Mriya aircraft, it was the heaviest aircraft in the world. The tests of the "Caspian Monster" took place in the Caspian for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, due to a piloting error, the KM crashed, there were no casualties. After that, there were no operations to restore or build a new copy of the CM:
Kosoboky. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - experimental and the world's first oblique wing aircraft Ames Research Center and Burt Rutan. It was built in 1979 and made its first flight on December 29 of the same year. The tests were carried out until the beginning of 1982. During this time, 17 pilots have mastered the AD-1. After the closure of the program, the plane was placed in the museum of the city of San Carlos, where it is still located:
Flying saucer. VZ-9-AV Avrocar is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft developed by the Canadian company Avro Aircraft Ltd. The development of the aircraft began in 1952 in Canada. It made its first flight on November 12, 1959. In 1961, the project was closed, as officially announced due to the impossibility of the "saucer" to get off the ground above 1.5 meters. In total, two Avrocar vehicles were built:
Flying pancake. Experimental aircraft Vought V-173. In the 1940s, the American engineer Charles Zimmerman created an aircraft with a unique aerodynamic design, which still continues to amaze not only with its unusual appearance, but also flight characteristics. For his unique appearance, he was awarded many nicknames, among which was "Flying Pancake". He became one of the first vertical / short take-off and landing vehicles:
Lunar module. Another VTOL lander, built in 1964, was part of the Apollo project, which aimed at the first manned landing on the moon.
Backward sweep. Su-47 "Berkut" - a project of a Russian carrier-based fighter, developed at the OKB im. Sukhoi. The fighter has a forward-swept wing; composite materials are widely used in the airframe design. In 1997, the first flying copy of the Su-47 was built, now it is experimental:
Sharp-nosed. The Douglas X-3 Stiletto is an American experimental Douglas monoplane aircraft. In October 1952, the first flight of the Douglas X-З took place:
Striped. The Grumman X-29 is a reverse-swept prototype aircraft developed in 1984 by the Grumman Aerospace Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). In total, two copies were built by order of the Agency for Advanced Defense Research and Development of the United States:
With rotating wings. The Boeing Vertol VZ-2 is the world's first aircraft to use a rotary wing concept with vertical / short takeoff and landing. The first flight with vertical takeoff and hovering in the air was performed by VZ-2 in the summer of 1957. After a series of successful tests, the VZ-2 was transferred to the NASA research center in the early 60s:
Airplane-spaceship. Boeing X-48 (Boeing X-48) is an American experimental unmanned aerial vehicle, created jointly by Boeing and NASA. The device uses one of the varieties of the flying wing. On July 20, 2007, he first ascended to an altitude of 2,300 meters and landed after 31 minutes of flight. The X-48B was the Times Best Invention of 2007.
Rocket plane. Ryan X-13A-RY Vertijet is an experimental vertical take-off and landing jet aircraft created in the USA in the 1950s. Developed by Ryan. The customer is the US Air Force. In total, two such aircraft were built:
The largest helicopter. Due to the needs of the Soviet National economy and the armed forces in the design bureau. ML Mil in 1959 began researching a super-heavy helicopter. On August 6, 1969, an absolute world record for lifting cargo was set on a MI V-12 helicopter - 40 tons to a height of 2,250 meters, which has not been surpassed to date; in total, 8 world records were set on the V-12 helicopter. In 1971, the B-12 helicopter was successfully demonstrated at the 29th International Aviation and Space Show in Paris, where it was recognized as the "star" of the show, and then in Copenhagen and Berlin. B-12 is the heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world:
Descended from heaven. HL-10 - one in five aircraft NASA Flight Research Center, used to study and test the possibility of safe maneuvering and landing on a vehicle with low aerodynamic quality after its return from space:
Strange looking. Fighter in the form of a flying wing Northrop XP-79B, equipped with two jet engines, was built in 1945 by the American company Northrop. It was assumed that he would dive at enemy bombers and smash them, chopping off the tail. On September 12, 1945, the plane made a single flight, which ended in disaster after 15 minutes of flight:
Futuristic. Another NASA project - NASA Hyper III - an aircraft created in 1969:
All of us have long been accustomed to airplanes. To their outward appearance... Regardless of whether it is a civilian plane or a military one. And we know that any aircraft has two wings, a fuselage, a keel (tail) and one or more engines.
But, believe me, this was not always the case. And at the dawn of the formation of aviation, and during the world wars, and even nowadays, devices appear that amaze with their unusual appearance.
Omitting the time of the development of aircraft construction in the First World War, let us turn to the 30s of the last century.
Two countries, Germany and the USSR, were intensively preparing for war. Neither money nor resources were spared for military needs. And it is not surprising that it was in these countries that the most unusual projects in aviation appeared. Talented designers managed to bring the most unusual projects to life.
The designers of not only the USSR and Germany, but also other aviation powers, tested the most unusual aircraft schemes. Basically, these were the so-called "tailless", flying wings, devoid of a vertical keel. And if such projects in the USSR did not receive further development, then in Germany, "tailless" were developed very actively. They got new ones, already jet engines and were very promising. But, history, as always, put everything in its place. The machine of the German industry, weakening under the blows of the Allies, could no longer provide the front with even debugged production machines, not to mention the experimental "raw" aircraft.
In general, in the USSR, as in Germany, during the intensified militarization of the regimes, whole galaxy of talented designers, engineers and designers appeared. The two countries, like a magnet, attracted promising "techies" with their endless possibilities. It happened that even the most insane and fantastic project got its implementation in a real machine in a very short time.
In the USSR, in the 1920s and 1930s, the most unusual projects were proposed and implemented. And it could be like the venerable, famous people and young, fresh from the institute, but promising designers.
Unfortunately, local military conflicts, and later the Second World War did not give the opportunity for the development of experimental aviation. The industry was transferred to mass production of serial aircraft. The country had no time for delights and experiments.
In Germany, the situation was somewhat different. The leader's crazy ideas about world leadership, and later the realization of the inevitable collapse of the 3rd Reich, made it possible to promote the most daring and extraordinary military projects.
We must pay tribute to the German designers, not all of these projects were stillborn. Many innovations first applied to Luftwaffe aircraft later became the norm in aviation.
Many projects first developed in Germany were later used in the aircraft industry of the USSR and the USA, which received all the documentation and prototypes of defeated Germany. On their basis, further research and development in the field of aircraft construction was carried out.
In 35-37, in the USSR, a unique and very unusual machine - DB-LK - was developed at OKB-16. Engineer Viktor Belyaev, professor, leading strength group at TsAGI, with a group of talented engineers created an aircraft of unusual design. About this car, the Soviet designer and the history of aircraft construction in the USSR V.B. Shavrov wrote that she was completely original, and could not be considered either a flying wing or a tailless one.
In Germany, the most unusual project, perhaps, can be called a scout company Blohm und Voss
Continuing the theme of the world's unusual aircraft, let us dwell on one more main feature of an ordinary aircraft - the fuselage. We are all accustomed to the fact that the aircraft has one fuselage, it is the body, it is the main part in which the cockpit is located and to which the wings and tail are attached. Those who are well acquainted with aviation know that there are aircraft of the "frame" type, that is, having two tail booms.
But aircraft with two fuselages are known to few.
And again, perhaps the very first, there were again German designers.
In 1939, when plans were being drawn up for an invasion of Great Britain, the design of the heavy gliders Ju.322 and Me.321 began in Germany. They planned to land troops and equipment in the British Isles.
The gliders were enormous. Suffice it to say that the Ju.322 Mammoth glider weighed 26 tons empty! And had a payload of 12 tons.
Willy Messerschmitt's more successful glider, the Me.321 Gigant, was even heavier and had a larger payload. It was a cheap, almost entirely wooden glider. And by the way, it was the first to use an opening nose to access the cargo hold. Later, this option for loading heavy cargo aircraft was used in Russian and American designs.
But such gliders still need to be lifted into the air. The Luftwaffe had no suitable aircraft. And then, a well-known pilot and a successful industrialist, Colonel-General Ernst Udet proposed to make one of two bombers, linking their wings. That gave a twofold increase in power, and most importantly, the ability to lift a heavyweight glider into the air.
He 111 heavy bombers were selected for the project. Two aircraft received a central section with another engine. This hitch was named He 111Z (Zwilling twins). Both cockpits were retained. Only in the left cockpit, the pilot could control all the engines and had full equipment and instruments. He was responsible for the release and retraction of the left landing gear, and controlled the radiator flaps of the left engine group. In the right fuselage, the co-pilot was responsible for the right strut and right engine group, respectively. Although he had no gas sectors. In the carriage " Siamese twins"There were two more flight mechanics, two gunners and one radio operator. The second, right-hand pilot also served as a navigator. Such was the distribution of responsibilities on an unusual plane.
He 111Z (Zwilling twins)
The unusual aircraft had good characteristics, was unpretentious and took part in hostilities on the Eastern Front.
Long-range fighters were required to escort the US Air Force B-29 heavy bombers. To participate in the raids on Japan, there were no suitable escort aircraft. It was here that the Americans resorted to the experience of the Luftwaffe. They took the most massive and, perhaps, the most successful P-51 Mustang aircraft and connected it with a common middle wing and a common stabilizer. This is how the unusual North American F-82 Twin Mustang was born.
On July 6, 1945, when the first XF-82 prototype took off, the war was already over, but the Twin was nevertheless used as a night fighter. It was also used in its primary capacity as a long-range escort fighter.
But they managed to connect two planes not only with wings, the designer guessed to make a kind of coupling out of two planes, when one plane sits "astride" the other. And also not one, and not only on horseback, but also under the wings.
This was the development of engineer V.S. Vakhmistrov. Aircraft carrier, aircraft, aviation link, these were the names of an unusual project, which was officially called "Link-SPB" or a composite dive bomber.
On a well-tested bomber in local conflicts, designer Tupolev, TB-3 were attached from one to 4-5 fighters. This gave an increase in the range of fighters. And fighters could also carry heavy bombs with which they could not take off themselves. On the approach to the target, the fighters detached themselves from the aircraft, stormed the target from a dive, and returned under their own power to their airfield. The aircraft were suspended under the wing and fuselage, with a couple more on the wing.
When testing such an unusual aircraft carrier, the entire staff of the test institute gathered, the spectacle was nicknamed "Vakhmistrov's Circus".
But the "circus" had the opportunity to demonstrate its effectiveness in the combat conditions of the Second World War. On July 26, 1941, a compound link bombed an oil storage facility in Ploiesti. There were no losses. And on August 10, "Zveno-SPB" wiped its nose and the rest of the skeptics, especially from the assault and bomber regiments.
Charles 1 bridge across the Danube was heavily guarded by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft guns. In addition to the regular supply of equipment and troops, a pipeline from Ploiesti to Constanta also passed through the bridge.
The Red Army Air Force repeatedly attempted to bomb the bridge. But all were unsuccessful. And on August 10, the three "circus" teams took to the air. One Link returned to base due to a breakdown, a couple of the remaining ones successfully released fighter-bombers. From a dive, from a height of 1800 meters, they successfully attacked the bridge, and returned home without loss. On August 13, they repeated the circus act, severely destroying the bridge.
In July 1943, an incomprehensible plane took off from a German airfield. Along the contours, it was a Ju 88 A4 bomber, on which a Bf 109F-4 fighter sat "clinging" to it. It was the takeoff of the prototype aircraft complex Mistel ("Omela"). In the army, nicknamed "Dad and Son."
The bomber was being converted into a super-heavy bomb. For this, instead of glazing the pilot's cabin, a long detonator cone was placed, behind which was an explosive (1725 kg.). The plane took off on all engines, after climb, the fighter turned off its engine. When approaching the target, the Messer's engine was restarted and it was detached from the bomb, which flew to the target from a gentle glide.
The photo shows the educational version of "Mistel". OnJu88, the cockpit was left for practicing the interaction of the pilots and uncoupling the fighter. In this caseFW 190 A-8 (F-eight). The training "Mistel" was captured by the allies.
Other aircraft also auditioned for the "role" of the bomb and the carrier.
The Luftwaffe's plans to bombard Soviet power plants and other strategic targets were thwarted by the rapidly advancing Soviet forces.
In the UK, back in 1938, a similar coupling of two aircraft had already been tested. These were two flying boats. Heavy boat Maia with 4 engines carried the lighter float plane Mercury, also with 4 engines. The pilot of the Junkers company Siegfried Holzbauer took part in the tests, who subsequently proposed the option of coupling the aircraft to the German Aviation Ministry.
And this is VM-T Atlant, developed by the Myasishchevsky Design Bureau in the mid-80s. This plane was the forerunner of the Mriya for the transportation of the Buran.
These are not all the unusual planes in the world. In the world of aviation, there are enough unusual projects that will be of interest to all fans of technology and aviation.
In the USSR, there was never a shortage of talented designers and inventors. Designed and embodied in designs, the most unexpected technical solutions, the most daring and promising ideas.
Almost every design bureau that designs aircraft had its own initiative group of young enthusiasts who proposed unexpected designs and non-standard design solutions.
On June 22, 1966, an unprecedented apparatus was launched from the stocks of the Volga shipyard. It was not clear what it was. Either a ship with wings, or an airplane with a boat hull. A huge, about 90 meters long, car, had an unprecedented weight of 544 tons. The vehicle had the designation "KM", a model ship. But abroad, and in our aviation circles, it was immediately christened "The Caspian Monster" for its frightening unusual appearance.
The machine was unique in its versatility. She could take off like an airplane, she could sail like a sea vessel, or, thanks to her special wings, fly over water at a speed of 500 km / h.
The tests were long and difficult. Interdepartmental confusion wreaked havoc on the design bureau. The fact is that for a long time they could not decide what type of it to attribute. According to the documentation, it passed as a military ship, and belonged to the USSR Navy. Although it was tested by Air Force pilots.
The tests lasted 15 years, for special base near the city of Kaspiysk. Damp, underdeveloped engines constantly disrupted test schedules. On the KM, 10 VD-7 turbojet engines were installed, with a thrust of 13,000 kgf each. They ensured a speed of up to 500 km / h with a load of over 300 tons!
The first test flight was carried out by pilots V.F. Loginov, and chief designer R.E. Alekseev.
Unfortunately, in 1980, the only copy of the KM crashed due to piloting errors. Long time he stayed afloat. But there were no attempts to save the car. Either there was no money for this, or they gave up on the project. To the delight of the military of the NATO bloc, the second copy was not built. And in the 90s, due to the chaos in the country, the storm of the seas and aircraft carriers was completely forgotten.
But as they say: the new is the well forgotten old
And in recent times, in the media there were reports about the resumption of work on the KM project. A scaled-down model has already been created, and a full-size 500-ton one is being prepared. The plans of the Ministry of Defense and the Navy are to equip the internal fleets of Russia with combat ekranoplanes of the KM and Lun type by 2020.
VVA-14. Amphibious vertical takeoff.
Another unique apparatus, a unique person and designer Robert Bartini.
An Italian of noble origin, Robert Bartini, in his youth, was carried away by the Marxist movement. Having moved to Soviet Russia in the 30s, he enthusiastically took up the design of aircraft of unusual schemes.
The VVA-14 vertical takeoff aerial vehicle became the culmination of the designer's ideas.
It was planned that the aircraft would become universal. Able to take off from water and from a solid surface. Moreover, take off both in normal mode and vertically.
In 1976, the final version of the VVA was tested near Taganrog. Due to the lack of knowledge of the vertical take-off engines, the amphibian was re-equipped for an ekranoplane capable of flying in airplane and ekranoplan modes.
After the death of the designer, they tried to bring the car, but the military's interest in it disappeared, engines for vertical takeoff did not appear, and the project was closed.
The headline photo from the museum in Monino shows the remains of a unique design, now without wings and engines.
