home Bream The most unusual planes in the world. The most unusual planes in the history of aviation Unusual planes are large and simple

The most unusual planes in the world. The most unusual planes in the history of aviation Unusual planes are large and simple

We have all become accustomed to airplanes long ago. To their appearance. Regardless of whether it is a civilian aircraft or a military one. And we know that any airplane has two wings, a fuselage, a keel (tail) and one or more engines.

But believe me, it wasn’t always like this. And at the dawn of the development of aviation, and during the world wars, and even today, devices appear that amaze with their unusual appearance.

Leaving aside the development of aircraft manufacturing during 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. No money or 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 into reality.

Designers not only of the USSR and Germany, but also of other aviation powers, tested the most unusual aircraft designs. These were mainly so-called “tailless”, flying wings lacking a vertical keel. And if such projects were not received in the USSR further development, then in Germany “tailless” were developed very actively. They received new, jet engines and were very promising. But history, as always, has put everything in its place. The machine of German industry, weakening under the attacks of the Allies, could no longer provide the front even with well-functioning production machines, not to mention experimental “raw” aircraft.

In general, in the USSR, as in Germany, during the increased militarization of the regimes, whole galaxies of talented designers, engineers, and planners appeared. The two countries attracted promising “techies” like a magnet with their limitless possibilities. It happened that even the craziest and most fantastic project was implemented in a real car in a very short time.

In the USSR in the 20-30s, designers proposed and implemented the most unusual projects. Moreover, they could be both venerable, famous people, and young, just out of college, but promising designers.

Unfortunately, local military conflicts, and later the outbreak of World War II, did not provide an 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 used on 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, OKB-16 developed a unique and very unusual car– DB-LK. Engineer Viktor Belyaev, professor, leader of the strength group at TsAGI, with a group of talented engineers created an aircraft of an unusual design. About this car, the Soviet designer and the history of aircraft manufacturing in the USSR V.B. Shavrov wrote that it is completely original, and cannot be considered either a flying wing or a tailless one.

In Germany, perhaps the most unusual project is the Blohm und Voss reconnaissance project.

Continuing the theme of unusual aircraft in the world, let us dwell on one more main feature of an ordinary aircraft - the fuselage. We are all accustomed to the fact that an airplane has one fuselage, also known as the body, which 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, those with two tail booms.

But aircraft with two fuselages are known to few.

And again, perhaps the very first, German designers were here again.

In 1939, when plans for the invasion of Great Britain were being developed, the design of heavy gliders Ju.322 and Me.321 began in Germany. They were planned to land troops and equipment on the British Isles.

The gliders were monstrously huge. Suffice it to note that the Ju.322 Mammoth airframe weighed 26 tons when empty! And it had a payload of 12 tons.

Willy Messerschmitt's more successful Me.321 Gigant glider 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 for access to the cargo compartment. 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 did not have suitable aircraft. And then, the famous pilot and successful industrialist, Colonel General Ernst Udet, proposed making one bomber out of two, interlocking their wings. Which gave a twofold increase in power, and most importantly the ability to lift heavy gliders into the air.

The He 111 heavy bombers were chosen for the project. Two aircraft received a central section with another engine. This coupling was named He 111Z (Zwilling twins). Both cockpits were retained. Only in the left cockpit could the pilot control all engines and have full equipment and instruments. He was responsible for extending and retracting 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 the right engine group respectively. Although he did not have gas sectors. The Siamese twins crew included two more flight mechanics, two gunners and one radio operator. The second, right pilot also served as a navigator. This 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 combat operations on the Eastern Front.

Long-range fighters were needed to escort the USAF's B-29 heavy bombers. There were no suitable escort aircraft to participate in the raids on Japan. This is where the Americans resorted to the experience of the Luftwaffe. They took the most popular and, perhaps, most successful aircraft, the P-51 Mustang, and connected it with a common middle wing and a common stabilizer. This is how the unusual North American F-82 Twin Mustang appeared.

By July 6, 1945, when the first XF-82 prototype flew, the war had already ended, but the Twin was still used as a night fighter. It was also used in its primary capacity as a long-range escort fighter.

But they managed to connect the two planes not only with their wings; the designers figured out how to make a kind of coupling out of the two planes, when one plane sits “astride” the other. And not alone, and not only on horseback, but also under the wings.

This was the development of engineer V.S. Vakhmistrova. Aircraft carrier, aircraft carrier, air link, these were the names of the unusual project, which was officially called “Zveno-SPB” or composite dive bomber.

From one to 4-5 fighters were attached to the bomber, well tested in local conflicts, designed by Tupolev, TB-3. This increased the range of the fighters. The fighters could also carry heavy bombs, which they could not take off with themselves. On approaching the target, the fighters unhooked from the aircraft, dive-strike the target, and returned under their own power to their airfield. The planes were suspended under the wing and fuselage, and a couple more were on the wing.

During the testing of such an unusual aircraft carrier, the entire staff of the testing institute gathered, the spectacle was nicknamed “Vakhmistrov’s Circus”.

But the “circus” had the opportunity to demonstrate its effectiveness in the combat conditions of World War II. On July 26, 1941, a composite unit bombed an oil storage facility in Ploesti. There were no losses. And on August 10, “Zveno-SPB” wiped the noses of other skeptics, especially from the assault and bomber regiments.

The Charles 1 Bridge over the Danube was heavily guarded by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft guns. In addition to the regular supply of equipment and troops, the bridge also passed the pipeline from Ploiesti to Constanta.

The Red Army Air Force repeatedly attempted to bomb the bridge. But all were unsuccessful. And so on August 10, three flights of “circus performers” took to the air. One Link returned to base due to a breakdown, the remaining two successfully released fighter-bombers. They successfully attacked the bridge from a dive, from a height of 1800 meters, and returned home without losses. On August 13, they repeated the circus act, severely destroying the bridge.

In July 1943, an unknown plane took off from a German airfield. According to the contours, it was a Ju 88 A4 bomber, on which a Bf 109F-4 fighter sat “clinging” to it. This was the takeoff of the prototype of the Mistel (“Mistletoe”) aviation complex. Nicknamed "Dad and Son" by the troops.

The bomber was converted to serve as a super-heavy bomb. Why, instead of glazing the pilot's cabin, a long cone of a detonator was installed, behind which an explosive substance (1725 kg) was located. The plane took off on all engines, after gaining altitude, the fighter turned off its engine. When approaching the target, the Messer's engine was restarted and it was unhooked from the bomb, which flew towards the target with a gentle glide.

The photo shows the training version of "Mistelle". OnJu88, the cockpit was left to practice pilot interaction and uncoupling of the fighter. In this caseFW 190 A-8 (F-8). The training "Mistelle" was captured by the Allies.

Other aircraft were also tested for the “role” of bomb and carrier.

Luftwaffe plans to bomb Soviet power plants and other strategic sites were thwarted by rapidly advancing Soviet troops.

In Great Britain, back in 1938, a similar coupling of two aircraft was already tested. These were two flying boats. The Maia, a heavy boat with 4 engines, carried a lighter Mercury floatplane, also with four engines. The Junkers pilot Siegfried Holtzbauer took part in the tests, who subsequently proposed an option for coupling aircraft to the German Ministry of Aviation.

And this is the VM-T Atlant, developed by the Myasishchevsky Design Bureau in the mid-80s. This aircraft was the forerunner of the Mriya for transporting the Buran.

These are not all the unusual aircraft in the world. There are quite a few unusual projects in the world of aviation that will be of interest to all lovers of technology and aviation.

In the USSR, there was never a shortage of talented designers and inventors. The most unexpected technical solutions, the most daring and promising ideas were designed and implemented.

Almost every design bureau designing aircraft had its own initiative group of young enthusiasts who proposed unexpected designs and non-standard design solutions.

On June 22, 1966, an apparatus unprecedented at that time 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. The huge machine, about 90 meters long, had an unprecedented weight of 544 tons. The vehicle had the designation “KM”, a mock-up ship. But abroad, and even in our aviation circles, it was immediately dubbed the “Caspian Monster” for its frightening, unusual appearance.

The car was unique in its versatility. She could take off like an airplane, could sail like a sea vessel, or, thanks to her special wings, fly over the water at a speed of 500 km/hour.

The tests were long and difficult. Interdepartmental confusion brought chaos to the work of the design bureau. The fact is that for a long time they could not decide what type to classify it as. According to 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, at a special base near the city of Kaspiysk. Crude, unfinished engines constantly disrupted test schedules. The KM was equipped with 10 VD-7 turbojet engines with a thrust of 13,000 kgf. They provided speeds 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 suffered an accident due to pilot errors. For a long time he remained afloat. But there were no attempts to save the car. Either there were no funds for this, or the project was abandoned. To the delight of the NATO military, the second copy was not built. And in the 90s, due to the chaos in the country, they completely forgot about the threat of the seas and aircraft carriers.

But, as they say: new is well forgotten old

And in Lately, there were reports in the media 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 Ministry of Defense and the Navy plan to equip the Russian domestic fleet with combat ekranoplanes of the KM and Lun types by 2020.

VVA-14. Vertical take-off amphibian.

Another unique device, a unique person and designer Robert Bartini.

An Italian of noble origin, Robert Bartini, became interested in the Marxist movement in his youth. Having moved to Soviet Russia in the 30s, he enthusiastically began designing aircraft of unusual designs.

The vertically-flying ekranolet VVA-14 became the culmination of the design ideas of this designer.

It was planned that the aircraft would become universal. Capable of taking off from both water and hard surfaces. Moreover, it can 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 development of vertical take-off engines, the amphibian was converted into an ekranoplane capable of flying in airplane and ekranoplane modes.

After the death of the designer, they tried to develop the car, but the military lost interest in it, engines for vertical take-off never appeared, and the project was closed.

The photo from the museum in Monino, included in the title, shows the remains of a unique design, already without wings and engines.

In 1955, the US Army commissioned the Goodyear Aircraft Company to design an inflatable rescue aircraft. According to the military's plan, the plane was supposed to be dropped to the ground using a parachute in a rigid container with a volume of only 1.25 cubic meters, and upon landing, inflate within a few minutes.
Despite the seemingly absurdity of the idea itself today, Goodyear successfully completed the project in record time - 12 weeks.

The inflatable aircraft was produced in two versions, the single-seat GA-468 and the double-seat GA-466. The two modifications differed in wingspan, length, engine power (40 hp/60 hp), speed (116 km/h and 110 km/h) and flight range (630 km/443 km). The practical flight ceiling for both modifications was 3000 m. The take-off run was about 80 meters.
The first flight took place on February 13, 1956. A total of 12 aircraft were produced over the years of the project's existence. During one of the test flights, an accident occurred, resulting in the death of the pilot, Lieutenant Wallis. In general, the project turned out to be unprofitable; the safety of inflatable aircraft left much to be desired. The project was completely closed in 1973.

"Goblin"

"Flying Baths"

The development of wingless aircraft was associated with NASA's desire to create a controlled capsule to return astronauts to Earth. Numerous tests and calculations have suggested the optimal shape for such shuttles - an irregular cone. When flowing around the body at high speeds during deorbit, the difference in pressure on the lower and upper parts of the device creates a lifting force, which has a positive effect on the controllability of the aircraft.
In appearance, all 5 NASA projects were approximately the same. The nose of the aircraft had glazing at the bottom for better review, in shape it was always a semi-cone with two vertical fins without external elevons; the rudders were also used as brake flaps.
In just three years of testing, more than 400 lifts of vehicles from the ground and about 80 flights behind aircraft were carried out. The projects were quite successful, but with the start of the Shuttle project, the need for these mini-shuttles disappeared.

"Pregnant Guppy"

The US space program also moved forward the aircraft industry. The rapid technological race required large volumes of transportation to build the Cape Canaveral spaceport and deliver rocket parts to it. Regular transport aircraft They were poorly suited for these purposes - the loads were heavy and non-standard in shape. Boeing was commissioned to develop a project for a more spacious and load-carrying transporter. It was completed within a year.
The B-377 Stratocruiser of the 1947 modification was taken as the basis. The aircraft fuselage was expanded by more than five meters and the cargo compartment was increased.

As a result, the aircraft acquired very unusual contours and received the name 377-PG. In this case, the letters PG were translated as Pregnant Guppy. The carrying capacity of the new aircraft reached 26 tons. Later, the aircraft model was upgraded to the Super Guppy, which could deliver a cargo of a quarter of a hundred tons over a distance of up to a thousand kilometers at a speed of 430 km/h. “Pregnant Guppies” flew until the 70s, when they were replaced by similar modifications of the Boeing 747 and Airbus A-300.

Airplane turbine

Operation Paperclip brought many promising scientists to the United States. Among them was the German aircraft designer Alexander Lippisch, creator of the Messerschmitt Me 163 jet interceptor. Lippisch had a truly unique view of aircraft construction.

He worked for the USA, but in 1967 he managed to return to Germany. Dornier invited Lippisch to further develop his old Aerodyne piston project. The designer provided consultations to engineers designing the vehicle known as the Dornier E-1. Work on the project was carried out from 1968 to 1971.

In 1972, the Dornier E-1 successfully passed takeoff tests, demonstrating a smooth climb and minimal defects during landing. Despite its success, the project was never put into series. The Bundeswehr lost interest in him after the decision to use manned aircraft for reconnaissance.

Hypersonic experimental vehicle Falcon 2. This is, no less, the fastest aircraft ever created by the US military. Falcon 2 is an experimental rocket-propelled glider designed to travel at Mach 22. His idea is to create a vessel that can reach anywhere on the planet and deliver a bomb payload within one hour, and to achieve this goal, DARPA has developed this durable and lightweight glider. To date, testing is not going as well as we would like, but the program is still in the development stage.

X-51 Waverider. The X-51 Waverider, created by Boeing in collaboration with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, was designed to exceed Mach 6—far beyond the capabilities of any current combat aircraft. It is launched into the atmosphere from a B-52 bomber and then uses its hydrocarbon fuel engine to accelerate to hypersonic speeds. The final test of the Waverider will take place later this year.

RQ-3 Darkstar. Military drones are on everyone's lips these days, but the concept of unmanned combat aircraft is nothing new. Lockheed-Martin pioneered the industry in the 1990s with its project codenamed "DarkStar". It was a top-secret mission to create an unmanned surveillance drone with stealth capabilities, and although the project was abandoned in 1998, rumors persist that it was brought back for black ops and used in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Sukhoi SU-47. One of Russia's best combat aircraft is the Sukhoi SU-47, an experimental supersonic fighter with a forward-swept wing. The unique aerodynamics of the fuselage gives the SU-47 unprecedented maneuverability at speeds exceeding Mach 1. And although the fighter never went into mass production, Sukhoi made attempts to sell it on the open arms market.

Northrop XB-35. The art of aerodynamics is constantly evolving, and as scientists learn more about the interaction of an airplane with air currents and other factors, they improve the shape of their aircraft. One of the most important innovations in aircraft design came in the late forties with the development of the flying wing concept. With less drag, these vessels are more fuel efficient. The Air Force contracted Northrop to develop a bomber based on this concept, and the result was the stunning XB-35, which made many test flights before its propellers began to fail, derailing the project's development.

Boeing X-37B. When we exhaust all options for war on Earth, the conflict will inevitably move into space. This obvious conclusion is behind the development of the Boeing X-37B, a joint project between NASA and the Department of Defense. After launching into space via a disposable rocket booster, the X-37B detaches and can spend a month in Earth orbit before landing. All missions involving the X-37B are strictly classified, so no one knows exactly what it is doing there for so long.

Vought V-173. Dubbed the "Flying Pancake", the Vought V-173 was one of the most unusual experimental aircraft of World War II. With its round design and two giant propellers, it was designed to fly at speeds far below those of the day. The V-173 had incredible maneuverability and was incredibly durable—after one test flight, it flipped over and essentially landed upside down without suffering any serious damage. It was an extremely remarkable concept design, but unfortunately it didn't get enough practical applications, and the project was forgotten.

Tupolev TU-95LAL. The fission of the atom opened new horizons in the art of warfare, but the very capabilities of nuclear technology exceeded the simple destructive power of atomic bombs. We all know that nuclear energy revolutionized submarines, but the Soviet Union also tried to use it in airplanes. In 1961, the Tupolev TU-95LAL was launched, a bomber modified to use a small nuclear reactor as a fuel source. After forty test flights, the program was mothballed due to multiple safety concerns.

Ryan X-13 Vertijet. Vertical takeoff and landing excited the minds of aircraft manufacturers throughout the 20th century. The fact that traditional airplanes require a long takeoff run and runways, seriously reduces their effectiveness on the battlefield. One of the smartest and most unique attempts to solve this problem was made in 1953, when Navy The United States contracted Ryan Aeronautical to create an aircraft that could take off vertically, switch to horizontal flight, and then land vertically. Only two X-13s were built before the project was shelved.

Aerocycle De Lackner HZ-1. Reconnaissance is one of the main tasks of air support, but using an entire aircraft for reconnaissance seems to be an irrational use of resources. Or at least that's what the creators of the De Lackner HZ-1, a single-seat flying platform controlled by tilting in different directions, thought. The Army acquired several units for testing, but they turned out to be more difficult to control than originally thought. Plus, the underbelly rotors tended to kick up rocks and dirt from the surface directly into the pilot's face if the flight was conducted at too low an altitude.

History remembers the eternal desire of man to fly; along the way there were many discoveries and daring attempts to beat gravity; only in the 20th century did man fully seize dominance in the air, both in altitude and in speed. However, the classic aircraft layouts of the 20th century did not satisfy all design engineers; throughout the last century, inquisitive minds tried to build something radically new in order to revolutionize the idea of aeronautics.

In this publication we will try to talk about the most interesting aircraft of the last century, from almost familiar designs to actual “flying saucers”. Readers will be interested to know what the world's aircraft designers set their sights on and what they achieved in the end.

Experimental racing aircraft Bugatti 100P

Looking at this fast-moving beauty, you can’t say that the history of its creation began back in 1938. Yes, it was then that the aviation design department of the Italian company Bugatti began developing and then building the aircraft in the hope of not only surprising with its swift and bold forms, but also winning the German Cup. Unfortunately, the beginning of the war and difficult economic situation after that it did not allow the plane to leave the hangar.

Vertical take-off and landing fighter Vought XF5U Skimmer “Shumovka”

The Vought XF5U vertical take-off and landing aircraft was designed to escort supply convoys as a win-win method to combat German submarines. Even America at that time could not equip each convoy with an escort aircraft carrier, and the use of the Skimmer could solve the problem, since it could take off from almost any transport ship. Unfortunately for the designers, the prototypes were built after the war and the Vought XF5U was no longer needed.

Unique Proteus aircraft

The Proteus high-altitude aircraft was originally developed as a mobile communications center, but later developed into a multi-purpose platform with the help of which it would even be possible to deliver passengers to suborbital ships. Proteus has already set several records, in particular a flight altitude record of 19,277 meters.

Experimental aircraft Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71 Blackbird strategic supersonic reconnaissance aircraft was operated by the US Air Force from 1964 to 1998. In addition to the technology used in its construction, the stealth technology of the SR-71 is interesting for the following facts: since at speeds of more than 3300 km/h the aircraft body heats up to 400 C, fuel with high temperature ignition, which also acts as... refrigerant for the cockpit air conditioning system.

Original Northrop YB-35 Flying Wing aircraft

The long-range strategic bomber XB-35 Flying Wing was designed according to the flying wing design and had truly impressive performance for its time, although it never went into production. Its four pairs of three-blade coaxial propellers were driven by four 28-cylinder engines producing 3,000 hp each. each, in order to avoid overheating, each of the engines was equipped with a cooling unit with a capacity of 350 hp.

In the 30s in the USSR, an aviation design bureau under the direction of K.A. Kalinina embarked on a grandiose and bold project for its time - a multi-engine transcontinental aircraft that would be capable of performing a wide range of tasks and, depending on needs, could serve passenger airliner and a heavy bomber and landing aircraft.

Experimental vertical takeoff aircraft VAK 191

When creating the vertical take-off and landing aircraft VAK 191 Fokker, a unique flying stand SC-1262 was built, equipped with five Rolls-Royce RB-108 turbojet engines. At this experimental stand, various tests were carried out for more than a year to evaluate the capabilities and characteristics of the power plant and on-board systems of the aircraft.

Unique aircraft VZ-9V Avrocar “Flying Saucer”

In the sixties of the last century American Air Force became interested in the research of the Canadian company Avro Aircraft, which was seriously engaged in the implementation of a project for a disk-shaped aircraft capable of performing vertical takeoff and landing. Although the plane was embodied in metal, the prototype did not live up to expectations - the aircraft constantly experienced problems with power plant and stability in the air.

Experimental fighter-interceptor Leduc 0.22

The Leduc 0.22 interceptor fighter, which was developed by the French designer Rene Leduc, has a very peculiar appearance, in addition, the pilot in the cockpit had to be in a prone position and in the event of an emergency, he and the cockpit would shoot away from the fuselage, and after reaching a safe speed and altitude, the pilot could leave the module independently and land using his own parachute.

Experimental F-85 Goblin Fighter

Light fighter The F-85 Goblin fighter was developed as an escort aircraft for ultra-long-range heavy bombers, and in theory, the Goblin was supposed to spend most of its journey in the bomb bay of the escorted aircraft, and to protect the “owner” from enemy attacks, it was brought out using special equipment. The project was closed due to the difficulties and failures that accompanied the docking of the F-85 with the carrier for return loading on board, although the aircraft itself showed excellent flight qualities.

There are quite a few flying machines 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. NASA's M2-F1 was nicknamed the "Flying Bathtub." It was supposed to be used as a capsule for landing astronauts. The first test flight took place on August 16, 1963. And in 1966 - the last one.

2. At NASA Air Force Base, 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 could withstand greater overload.

3. Aircraft designers came up with the prototype of the McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft only to verify the flight capabilities of tailless aircraft. Was developed in 1977. Remote control.

4. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - the world's first aircraft with an oblique wing. Experimental model from 1979. Its tests were carried out for about three years. After this, the plane was placed in the museum of the city of San Carlos.

5. The wings of the Boeing Vertol VZ-2 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 whole years, it was transferred to the NASA research center.

6. The heaviest and most load-lifting helicopter ever built in the world was developed by Soviet scientists - employees of the design bureau named after. M. L. Mil in 1969. It is capable of lifting a load weighing 40 tons to a height of 2250 meters. No one has yet managed to break this record.

7. "Avrocar" is 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 “plate” could rise did not exceed one and a half meters.

8. Northrop XP-79B had two jet engines and a very strange appearance. According to the idea of the American developers, the fighter was supposed to dive on enemy bombers and smash them, cutting off the tail section. But the first flight in 1945 ended in disaster. It happened fifteen minutes into the flight.

9. In 2007, the Boeing X-48 was voted the best invention in a Times poll. This is the result of joint cooperation between the American company Boeing and NASA. The first flight took place in the summer of 2007. The unmanned vehicle rose to a height of 2300 meters and landed safely after 31 minutes.

10. Another non-standard NASA development 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, it had excellent flight properties. It was the Vought V-173 that became one of the first vertical/short takeoff and landing vehicles.

12. The HL-10 was used to study and test the ability to safely maneuver and land a low lift-to-drag vehicle after returning from space. Developed by NASA.

13. Su-47 "Berkut" is a carrier-based fighter designed in 1997 at the Design Bureau named after. Sukhoi (Russia). Composite materials were used to create it. A distinctive feature is the forward-swept wings. On this moment refers to experimental models.

14. Grumman X-29 is the main 1984 project of Grumman Aerospace Corporation. It can be safely called a prototype of the Russian Su-47 Berkut. A total of two such fighters were assembled (special order from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency).

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 exhibition at the US Air Force Museum.

16. The experimental ekranoplane, 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 wing span was 37.6 m, length - 92 m, maximum take-off weight - 544 tons. Numerous experimental flights were carried out for 15 years, but in 1980 the giant crashed due to pilot error. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But there were no attempts to restore the CM.

17. The Super Guppy is nicknamed the "Air Whale" and is used by NASA to deliver large items to the ISS. The development belongs to Aero Spacelines.

18. Douglas monoplane with a sharp nose - an experimental model. The first test flight took place in 1952.

19. This module, created in 1963, was part of the grandiose Apollo project. It was planned to be used for landing on the Moon. It had only one jet engine.

20. The Sikorsky S-72 first took to the skies on October 12, 1976. In 1987, the already modernized S-72 saw the light of day. But the project was soon closed due to insufficient funding.