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 [whstl][snWow]
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.
Of course the XC-99 would be good too.
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:
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!
Ok, can’t argue with that as the most abnormal plane [;)]
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.
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.
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!
XF-85 Goblin, XF-84H Thunderscreach.
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
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 [:(]
Thanks G for the warning, I haven’t had any intentions of picking up the Mach 2 Leduc ramjet though. Just too darn fugly! It’s funny, the French produce some of the most beautiful aircraft like the Mirage series and then they make this. [:S]
Definitely some bizarre designs; I especially like the submarine/airplane hybrid.
Of course the Germans during World War Two had some offbeat plane designs.
Some were offbeat, but others were only about 15-25 years ahead of their time, and the technology wasn’t there yet to take full advantage of them. Even with being bombed day and night, they made tremendous strides in advancement…Could have done even more had not Hitler kept jumping around from one next great weapon to another.
I always liked the Saunders Roe SR. A/1 flying boat jet fighter.
Here are some that really got beat by the ugly stick:
Jet powered biplane anyone?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PZL_M-15_Belphegor
The AD Scout sure looks like it would tip over in a slight breeze…would hate to have to land this beast in a crosswind…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AD_Scout
How about the VFW 614? Let’s take an airliner, and put the engines on top of the wings…
have found several on e-bay in 1/72nd. going to try some, obscure is fun.
Several of those were available in the '80s as vac kits, including the XC-99 and XP-55.
In 1915 Fokker tried to make a “Battle Plane”, factory model M9. The front of each outboard fuselage was meant to hold a gun and gunner. The fuselages were not connected, so when the wings warped so did the the rest of the plane. The test pilot made two flights, one with gunners and one without, and said “No more!”
The weirdist i have is the BV-141 been gnawing at it for a while since i live in a 26’ trailer right now.
Oh wow those are crazy awesome! Love that Fokker Steve and the Belphegor and AD Scout F-8.
One ‘aircraft’ in my stash:
