17 of the strangest and most unusual aircraft that have ever taken flight (18 photos)

Crazy design solutions make the world around us extraordinary and memorable. Engineers create amazing devices that can be found in almost every country in the world.





The creativity of the creators affected not only architecture, everyday elements and cars, but also aircraft. Some of them look so futuristic that it seems as if they were invented for the filming of another Hollywood film about the distant future. Others have such a ridiculous design that they simply cause laughter.

Caproni 60, experimental flying boat airliner



old_keyboard 3/ airportsjim

The miracle machine made only two short flights. On March 2, 1921, the pilot accelerated the plane to 80 kilometers per hour and was able to take off from the water. The second and, unfortunately, the last flight took place two days later. The plane took off at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, but soon the car lost lift and crashed into the waters. The pilot was not injured.

Stipa-Caproni - Italian experimental aircraft





AnubysDigital/Fuzzyphilosopher

The barrel plane was developed in 1932. It gained altitude well, was quiet and stable in flight. However, the high drag negated all the advantages of the design.

Nemeth Parasol - a plane with a perfectly round wing



Absolute Magnitude

An unusual monoplane was built by students at the University of Miami in 1934.

Vought V-173 - “flying pancake”



Dodson International Parts

A vertical take-off and landing aircraft with a “round wing”. The first flight took place in 1942. In total, about 190 missions were carried out.

Airbus A300-600ST "Beluga"



aviationjobs.me/Mass1m01973

"Beluga" is a wide-body jet cargo aircraft designed to transport large cargo. When fully loaded, which is 47 tons, its flight range is about 1,700 kilometers (with a speed of about 750 kilometers per hour). At half load, the flight range increases to almost 5,000 kilometers.

Aerocycle HZ-1



Ebonystealth/MrAngryBeards

The first prototype of the HZ-1 aircraft took to the skies in 1955. The design had many flaws and was dangerous, so it was decided to freeze the project.

Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar - flying disc



MrPlaneGuy

No, this is not a flying saucer. This development is a disc-shaped aircraft with vertical take-off and landing. It was invented as part of a secret American military program in 1959.

Snecma C-450 - a plane that looks like a rocket



clark_aviation/ Prototypes and experimental aircraft. SkyRex

An experimental vertical take-off and landing aircraft with an annular wing, developed by France. The first flight took place in 1958. After a number of unsuccessful tests, the project was closed.

Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus



RidingAHighHorse

High-altitude long-range aircraft with a tandem wing. It was developed to explore the prospects of using aircraft as telecommunications stations.

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin - jet aircraft



Aviation Solutions

WIG "Lun" or "Caspian Monster"



Artwork of Armies/ Soviet Tours

The Lun made its first flight in 1985. The dimensions of the car are simply amazing: pThe wing span is 44 meters, the length is 73.8 meters, and the take-off weight is 380 tons.

X-13 Vertijet could take off from its tail



Hush_Kit

The experimental aircraft was assembled in the 1950s for the US Air Force.

Northrop XB-35 is based on the flying wing concept



de_gis

The Dornier Do 31 - Pinocchio in the world of airplanes



shedang/ The Vault of the Atomic Space Ag

The experimental jet transport aircraft was built in 1967 by order of Germany.

M2-F1 or “flying bathtub”



Air Force Flight Test Museum/ Air Force Flight Test Museum

The first flight using an unusual towing aircraft took place in 1963. The device got its name due to its strange shape, reminiscent of a bathtub.

Northrop XP-79 had the nickname "flying ram"



dangerevans007

The pilot had to fly the plane while lying down in the cockpit. These must have been unforgettable flights! The first flight of the unusual device was in 1944.

Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST



The Aviation Titan

A new American experimental supersonic aircraft capable of speeds of up to 1510 kilometers per hour. Designed to assess the acceptability of supersonic passenger transport.