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Abnormal aircraft designs

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  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Jerome, Idaho, U.S.A.
Abnormal aircraft designs
Posted by crackers on Sunday, April 24, 2016 12:07 AM

 For those of you who like the offbeat and the weird, here is some aircraft designs that would make interesting conversations at any model display event. These would have to be scratch built, as any kit manufacture worth their reputation would never consider to issue an unorthodox design to the modeling public.

Happy modeling     Crackers    Smile

Anthony V. Santos

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Katy, TX
Posted by Aggieman on Sunday, April 24, 2016 1:40 AM

That Horten (I think that is the German wing there) and the Twin Mustang are existing, currently available kits.

Another unusual design is the German Bv-141. Single fuselage, no cockpit but an offset cockpit pod attached alongside the boom fuselage.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, April 24, 2016 3:08 AM

Ye, those last two are least are both issued as kits, the 229 in at least 3 scales.

Now this is a weird design.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by seastallion53 on Sunday, April 24, 2016 6:14 AM

That one exists as a paper model in 1/33 i believe.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Sunday, April 24, 2016 6:33 AM

If you think the Short 330 looks "abnormal", you should see its older cousin, the SC.7 Skyvan. It looks rather like someone drove a 330 into an immovable object.

(and yes, there is/was a kit of this)

PS: I'd prefer the term "unconventional" rather than "abnormal".

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, April 24, 2016 6:40 AM

seastallion53

That one exists as a paper model in 1/33 i believe.

 

You mean the Triebflugel. There was a 1/72nd model by Huma, the company has gone but the model can still be found.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Sunday, April 24, 2016 6:45 AM

As far as unconventional goes, I'll drop a vote for the Boeing YC-14 Smile

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Sunday, April 24, 2016 7:42 AM

Building a 72nd scale F-82 now. Old Monogram kit. 

 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Jerome, Idaho, U.S.A.
Posted by crackers on Sunday, April 24, 2016 11:37 AM

You want abnormal, unconventional, or weird aircraft design ? Try this one on for size. It is so grotesque and ugly looking, that this aircraft must defy all the aerodynamic principals of flight. It would make an interesting kit for the offbeat modeler.

Happy modeling    Crackers   Stick out tongue

 

Anthony V. Santos

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: State of Mississippi. State motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Posted by mississippivol on Sunday, April 24, 2016 2:57 PM
Engine maintenance would have to be a dream...
  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: From the Mit, but live in Mason, O high ho
Posted by hogfanfs on Sunday, April 24, 2016 4:59 PM

I'm a bit interested in purchasing this kit of an abby normal aircraft:

 Bruce

 

 On the bench:  1/48 Eduard MiG-21MF

                        1/35 Takom Merkava Mk.I

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, April 25, 2016 8:52 AM

Here are a couple of wierd ones I built from kits.

The first is the Williams Bros kit of the Pitcairn autogyro.  I don't remember the kit mfg for the second one, but the plane is the Flying Flea tandem wing plane, sold as a kit for homebuilders.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Monday, April 25, 2016 9:04 AM

crackers

You want abnormal, unconventional, or weird aircraft design ? Try this one on for size. It is so grotesque and ugly looking, that this aircraft must defy all the aerodynamic principals of flight. It would make an interesting kit for the offbeat modeler.

Happy modeling    Crackers   Stick out tongue

 

 

 

Actually from an aerodynamic standpoint it is a beauty.  Sweptwing, with vertical stabs fairing into the wing and horizontal sabs and engine mounts. It takes the current short wingtip verticals to the next step. Beautiful design concept.

 

I really like it.

 

As to principles of flight, last week I watched a black and yellow bumble bee make 2 attempts to get off the ground before it finally made it on the third try.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Jerome, Idaho, U.S.A.
Posted by crackers on Monday, April 25, 2016 10:55 AM

Goldhammer, I think this is the bumble bee you saw trying to make three attempts of flight. Must have been sampling alcoholic honey.

Happy modeling      Crackers     Tongue Tied

 

Anthony V. Santos

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, April 25, 2016 11:43 AM

Well, all of those are odd if not abnormal. Let me add:

Fisher P-75, cobbled together from parts including the tail of a Douglas SBD Daultless, the wings of a P-40, and the landing gear of a F-4U Corsair.

Couple of Japanese Second World War X-Planes

  

Six-engine America bomber:

Ryan XF2R Dark Shark, turbo-prop in the nose and jet engine in the tail. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Jerome, Idaho, U.S.A.
Posted by crackers on Monday, April 25, 2016 12:16 PM

The Curiss-Wright XP55 Ascender. Remained in the experimental stage and never really considered for militaty mass production. Would make an interesting kit for those who like unconventional aircraft.

Happy modeling    Crackers    Big Smile

 

Anthony V. Santos

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Monday, April 25, 2016 1:31 PM

Crackers, that diamond wing transport concept is certainly weird, but it has a surreal coolness about it!  I think the biggest hurdle for such a design to take to the air is that commercial customers are terribly gun shy about buying revolutionary designs that don't look familiar.  Engine maintenance looks like fun too.  Mechanics must not be afraid of heights!

The blended body designs also look really neat, but I had read that skin drag predominates on that type of configuration.  The diamond wing aircraft with a nominally conventional fuselage would probably be more aerodynamically efficient.

I remember watching a program where the bumblebee conundrum was discussed, and the guy in the show pointed out that the aerodynamicists that made the original claim that the bee could not possibly fly used the wrong model - they were thinking fixed wing, whereas the bee is more like a helicopter (or Triebflugel).

This is a fun thread - I am one of those who love bizarre aircraft designs!

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Monday, April 25, 2016 1:34 PM

BTW, I had started a jet powered R2Y2 Keiun conversion from the Fine Molds R2Y1.  I got a little hung up on fairing the front end of the engine nacelles to the wing.  The R2Y1 looks like an improbable "napkin" design, but it amazingly was built and flown breifly.  A second airframe was under construction when the war ended.

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, April 25, 2016 1:35 PM

Very cool Crackers. I've got the Czech Model 1/48th kit of the ***ender - I mean Ascender... And the Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet (which was actually USAAF Olive Drab over Neutral Grey). They're so cool I have to get them built some day.

There's a 1/72nd kit of the P-75 but it's priced way more than I want to spend on a 1/72nd resin kit. 

And how can I forget the Antonov A-40 flying tank. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, April 25, 2016 1:37 PM

Ohhhhhh, really cool G, I'd love to see her. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Jerome, Idaho, U.S.A.
Posted by crackers on Monday, April 25, 2016 5:14 PM

Gamera, if you forgot the flying tank, surely you must remember the Soviet Ushakov flying submarine. This is not scifi, but such a craft was actually produced. The US Navy also had such a concept on the drawing boards in the event war with Russia. Thus, flying subs could penetrate into the Baltic, or Black Sea should the Soviets close off these water bodies.

Happy modeling    Crackers    WhistlingWow

 

 

Anthony V. Santos

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Orlando, Florida
Posted by ikar01 on Monday, April 25, 2016 5:40 PM

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Monday, April 25, 2016 7:36 PM

Gamera,

Here is where my R2Y2 project stands (still).

https://flic.kr/p/FFbPe7] [/url]R2Y2-04 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

I have loads of unfinished project like thi one in the stack.  I even started a Rutan Boomerang:

http://rutanboomerang.com/

I think that's gotta be one of the weirdest factual aircarft to fly.  Okay there are others like the Leduc ramjets as well:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leduc_0.22

I have to start another project!

 

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 7:55 AM

crackers

Gamera, if you forgot the flying tank, surely you must remember the Soviet Ushakov flying submarine. This is not scifi, but such a craft was actually produced. The US Navy also had such a concept on the drawing boards in the event war with Russia. Thus, flying subs could penetrate into the Baltic, or Black Sea should the Soviets close off these water bodies.

Happy modeling    Crackers    WhistlingWow

 

 

 

Ok, can't argue with that as the most abnormal plane Wink

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 7:57 AM

Ikar: Those are cool! 

G: That R2Y2 looks really good, I'd love to see her completed. 

And I think someone did produce a resin kit in 1/72nd of the Leduc ramjet, no idea if it's still in production. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Charleston, SC
Posted by kg4kpg on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 11:28 AM

Phil_H

As far as unconventional goes, I'll drop a vote for the Boeing YC-14 Smile

 

It's like a C-17 and C-123 made a baby. I'd like it in styrene in 1/144 and 1/72. Anigrand does this one in 1/144 for $102 shipped and 1/72 for $173.00. Nice, but too big for my budget.

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 4:04 PM

Gamera

Ikar: Those are cool! 

G: That R2Y2 looks really good, I'd love to see her completed. 

And I think someone did produce a resin kit in 1/72nd of the Leduc ramjet, no idea if it's still in production. 

 

 

Gamera - Mach 2 procuce at least two of the Leduc ramjet aircraft, but stay away from them!  If you want a model, you are better off scratchbuilding one.  There is a large hardback French language book on the Leduc ramjet series which has a lot of detail photos, but my Google-Fu is weak.  I picked up a copy in Japan at Hobbyland, one of my favorite hobby shops in Osaka.  I think that was my heaviest purchase on that trip!

So that Soviet sub-airplane was actually built?  I wonder how the engineers resolved the conflicting requirements of sturdy structure demanded by the submarine portion of the design with the minimal weight requirements of an airplane?  Kind of like trying to design a paper kite that you can use as a surfboard!

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: 29° 58' N 95° 21' W
Posted by seasick on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 4:28 PM

XF-85 Goblin,  XF-84H Thunderscreach.

Chasing the ultimate build.

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 4:39 PM

ikar01

Here's a couple of my favorites:

 

 

 

 

There once was a kit of the Guppy in 1/144 I believe but I haven't been able to find one in several years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have the old Revell Guppy in the stash. The thing that scares me us the 32nd scale panel lines on a 144th scale kit.  Talk about trenches

 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Jerome, Idaho, U.S.A.
Posted by crackers on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 12:48 AM

Added to the collection of unusal aircraft, is the Edgley Optica. Built in Britian as a low cost alternative to the helicopter and slow speed observation. Not exactly in mass demand, as only 23 have been built, while two more were discontinued.

Happy modeling          Crackers    Sad

 

Anthony V. Santos

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