Well, maybe not the ugliest ever, but this one can’t be that far away from the top prize…
Let me introduce you to the Breguet 270. Designed in 1929, it entered service within French reconnaissance squadrons in December 1932. 140 of them were built. By 1937, they were already in reserve groups, but were recalled for duty in September 1939, basically to provide German pilots with easy targets. Lacking more modern replacements, over 50 were still serving in front line squadrons by May 1940. The Germans scrappedthefew left at the end of the French campaign.
Not much good to say about this ugly duckling, really, other than it had a fairly modern design, i.e., all-metal, at the time of its conception. This model is built from the 1/72 Azur kit, a good quality French/Czech short-run manufacturer. The weird design, in particular the rear fuselage, is what got me interested. The kit is well detailled (lots of resin in the fuselage halves!), with very fine engraving and raised detail (wing’s ribs). The transparent parts, vacuformed, are the tricky part of the build. The chosen decoration is that of a machine still flying in 1939, but its fate is uncertain after that. The kit can be built as a Chinese aircraft too, featuring a different front fuselage and suitable markings.
Really nice build. Almost has a “Polikarpov R-5” feel to it, only truncated, with the tail attached to a stick. This is one of those kits I’ll probably build eventually. Always nice seeing something a bit different.
Ugly!? I think it is neat! But then again I LOVE ungainly, ugly aircraft!
Brian
I vote for the PZL-23 Karas:http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=4104.
It’s ugly enough that it can grow on you over time.
Any of the French Amiot bombers of the 30’s
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don’t find this AC any where near the top of ugliest. Very nice build BTW, thanks for sharing.
Regards, Rick
It looks great, dj!
And for me… the uglier the better. =3
I think it looks cool, and actualy I don´t think that this plane is ugly, but I too love the uglys aircrafts! LOL
it´s great to see something diferent once in a wile and look like you did a great job on the kit…
congratulatiosn!
Best regards
Jeremias
The Fairey Gannet looks much worse. Your model is very nice anyway.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. In fact, many of my favorite aircraft I like exactly because many others would find them so ugly. However, there are a small number of aircraft that are so difficult on the eyes that even I can’t find any redeeming aesthetic qualities. Case in point: the PZL LWS.6 Zubr.
Built of different materials, the prototype developed stress cracks very early. These cracks were simply patched and re-patched until the entire airframe just fell apart. The second prototype was strenghtened, but the added weight rendered it unable to carry any bombs.
So, ugly, dangerous, AND useless.
Hi DJ,
Unusual maybe, but certainly not ugly. It would make the opposing troops on the ground and in the air look twice I’m sure!
Nice build AND display!! 
Take care,
Frank
Thank you for your comments. Much appreciated. I guess certain features were dictated by the eventual role of this machine, that of course being aerial reconnaissance: huge wing for stability, truncated fuselage for defense and observation,…). Other than its unique rear fuselage (the whole fuselage was actually supported by this beam, which is only apparent at the rear), the Breguet 270 was not really that much different from similar aircraft built around 1929. But of course, it was a time of great and fast-paced changes in aviation, and only 3 years down the line, by the time it entered service, the Breguet was already hopelessly outdated. Again, as were most other aircraft all over the world by the time they entered service.
Of course, the sad part is that courageous men (I mean it must have taken some courageous people to go up in the air in an aircraft like this, knowing very well that the enemy had machines like the Me-109 to throw at you) died because those outdated machines were still in service long after they should have been scrapped.
I, too, have an afinity for ungainly and unusual vehicles. Aircraft, Cars, Trucks, AFVs.
It’s just something about them, like being drawn to the runt of the litter…maybe we feel sorry for them.
My entry into this competition can be found here:
http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2008-1/9620.jpg
I have to differ. I’ve always loved the pregnant guppy! For me, one of the great uggos was the pfaltz triplane. I’m having trouble locating a pic of one right now but trust me, it’s pretty homely. I, too have had a fascination for aircraft that function required a bit of sacrifice in the beauty category. Your morane saulnier is unusual looking. Reminds me of the Tupolev ANT 1 fighter. Not to mention the great build job you did. Thanks for the pics.
Any other entries for the all time uggo list?
Here’s another ‘beauty’…:
It’s a Transavia PL-12 Airtruck, a crop duster, which famously appeared in the final instalment of Mad Max… I scratchbuilt the ‘Mad Max’ one in 1/48 many many years ago. It was great fun.
I agree that the Airtruck is pretty ugly. I have also hoped someone would make a model kit of this. What did you use to scratch build your model? Can you share it with us? Do you have any photos?
You want UGLY!! You cant handle, UGLY!!
Beat them,
…Guy
So many possibilites - and so many of them made in France:
Maybe the idea was to repulse the Luftwaffe?
Cheers,
Chris.
Ok, that is just wrong[(-D]
