Most Ugly Aircraft

[HE117]

That photo was in The Eagle Book of Aircraft, a Christmas present in 1954 and I've wondered what the legs were all about since. Thank-you for the answer!

ETA The book refers to it as a Dagling.

As I recall, having the two guys either side of the "pilot" was SOP to act as buffers/autopilot and stop the thing crashing into the stand if the wind changed or the "pilot" screwed up...

I would of thought the word was "Dangling" as basically that's what you did.. the whole structure was supported on a sky hook thingy that connected to the triangular bit that stuck out from the main plane..

 

[Wooden Wonder]

We had one of the primitive single-seat training gliders - a Grasshopper - at South Cerney in the ‘70s. We’d bungee launch it on the summer course when we had enough cadets (just to punish them) or tow it behind a Landrover. Then some bright spark decided to winch launch it. It managed a couple and then one of the instructors crashed it and wrote it off. I think he was an ex-instructor after the inquiry.

 

[tiv]

I would of thought the word was "Dangling" as basically that's what you did.. the whole structure was supported on a sky hook thingy that connected to the triangular bit that stuck out from the main plane..

The type became known as the Dagling, a name formed by combining Dagnall and Zögling, which later became used informally to cover all types of primary gliders in the UK.

The Primary should not be confused with the similar T.38 Grasshopper which was produced for the Air Training Corps in the 1950s.

From: Slingsby Primary - Wikipedia

 

[flieslikeabeagle]

what's not to like about this ffs

 

[flieslikeabeagle]

or a more up to date version

 

[Wightsparker]

As I recall, having the two guys either side of the "pilot" was SOP to act as buffers/autopilot and stop the thing crashing into the stand if the wind changed or the "pilot" screwed up...

I would of thought the word was "Dangling" as basically that's what you did.. the whole structure was supported on a sky hook thingy that connected to the triangular bit that stuck out from the main plane..

Thinking about it, I recall that the CCF glider was often subjected to practice launches, with spoilers fitted to the wing leading edges to preclude involuntary take-offs.

 

[Raven2008]

Now for aircraft that only Communists could love:

Kamov Ka-25 Hormone

What was the value in eliminating the boom and tail rotor, and instead having contra rotating rotors and a far more complex transmission drive and rotor head system? @Raven2008 any ideas? Surely the two sets of rotors make more noise - not helpful if your trying to hunt submarines.

Succeeded by the Ka-27 Helix

The normal ASW ones did not even have a winch for SAR or things like Vertical Replenishment.

Same principle as the Kaman K-Max, ..all the power goes to the main (contra rotating rotors) as with conventional rotorcraft it’s a relatI’ve energy and power goes into the tail rotor. Eliminate That and you e got more power to play with.

Doubt the Soviet navy paid much attention to Vertrep like the USN or us... , think about how far their old Kiev class or now whatever their Admiral Kuzwtsnov (in dock still under repairs since the fire ) went and it was not that far From their shore either Black Sea or Med. Off the top of my head I don’t even think their carriers went as afar the Atlantic but could be wrong.

Also i suspect they had a replenishment vessel, oiler beside, so transfer stuff across with rope and pipelines. Possibly the late Kamov kA-29 could carry wee bit of stuff atop the anti sub kit.

But what you have to remember about Soviet Naval aviation ...3/4 of it is land based strategic long range aviation for the bleeding obvious.

Anyway here are my photos of Russian Helicopters JSC KA-52 Alligator making its first western debut at Paris Air Show 2013. And yes the Russian navy is getting into the amphibious AH role like what we and the USMC have been doing for 6 decades with the KA-52.

The 52 is very agile as don’t forget it’s single seat predecessor ‘KA-50 Werewolf was designed in late 70s/early 80s for the sole purpose of air To air combat to knock us and NATO battlefield helos off the main stage. So in simplistic terms, using their contra rotating tech and aerodynamic platform and retractable undercarriage ...you’ve got one helluva agile platform.

I spoke to a US Army Lt Col aviator who was one of the VSO in the the. rAH-66 Comanche program office about the the Werewolf/Alligator ..he said in his technical opinion reckoned the Russians had mastered helicopter aerodynamics with the 50/52. my aerodynamics lecturer at uni who was also my final year project tutor said the same thing.

cheers

 

[chrismcd]

Why do many of the monstrosities on this thread look like they were made by people seeing what they could produce using parts of proper aircraft mixed (but not matched) up and with a few pieces and odd components added? Anything they could find lying around.

Surely an ugly aircraft means an unaerodynamic or at least an unstable one?

I think this qualifies - particularly the odd bits of Liberator left lying around.
I am sure it has been on here before - but this is a new view of the Ju 287 to me

But it flew quite well - apparently!

 

[ExAuxBalloonCorps]

Is the wing dihedral causing an optical illusion as it looks like it had forward swept wings?

 

[chrismcd]

Is the wing dihedral causing an optical illusion as it looks like it had forward swept wings?

It was the low speed flying test bed for the Ju 287. There was still some debate about wings swept forwards or back. Forwards meant a great big bomb bay!

It was made out of a fuselage off the He 177 A-5, the tail of the Ju 188G-2, main undercarriage from a Ju 352, and nose wheels taken from shot-down B-24 Liberators.

It flew better than it looked and some brave man dived it to 660 kph!

 

[MOzanne]

Is the wing dihedral causing an optical illusion as it looks like it had forward swept wings?

Fig. 31 Ju 287 V-1 FSW demonstrator vehicle (Fig. 32 top right)....

Download scientific diagram | Ju 287 V-1 FSW demonstrator vehicle (Fig. 32 top right). Although only in limited series production, the HFB-320 aircraft had excellent handling qualities and provided 10 years later a most suitable host aircraft for the first fly-by-wire in-flight simulator at DLR...

www.researchgate.net

 

[chrismcd]

View attachment 550235

Fig. 31 Ju 287 V-1 FSW demonstrator vehicle (Fig. 32 top right)....

Download scientific diagram | Ju 287 V-1 FSW demonstrator vehicle (Fig. 32 top right). Although only in limited series production, the HFB-320 aircraft had excellent handling qualities and provided 10 years later a most suitable host aircraft for the first fly-by-wire in-flight simulator at DLR...

www.researchgate.net

Junkers (OKB-1) EF140

Junkers EF140

hugojunkers.bplaced.net

 

[Stovepipe]

Civilian versions of the Kamov were operated in Canada for logging and lifting pylons and retrieving crashed aircraft. The Kamovs also have a very large cabin. The American Kaman is also unique in that it uses tabs to "fly" the rotor blades and the rotor head and flight controls are much simpler as a result. Clever,outside-the-box thinking by two different firms.

 

[CutLunchCommando]

So why has no Western designer or navy gone for coaxial rotors? Back when the SH-3/Sea King was designed, the Sikorsky designers had a blank sheet and as far as I know, a free hand to design what they saw fit?

Does having two large rotors not increase the noise level and downdraft?

It is still fugly.

USN and USMC operated the Kaman Huskie but I don't know if it was shipborne.

Kaman HH-43 Huskie - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Maalox]

The SNAC 420

 

[Stovepipe]

USN and USMC operated the Kaman Huskie but I don't know if it was shipborne.

Kaman HH-43 Huskie - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

the designer of this helicopter was also the designer of the little black rotor you see on top of vans. It's called a Flettner rotor and it acts to suck air out of the rear cabin of the van. All it takes is the slightest movement of air over it's vanes and it will turn.

 

[robinrocket111]

The SNAC 420

View attachment 551523

It’s got a touch of one of my favourites, the Shorts S23 C Class Empire Flying boat.

 

[Taffwob]

I think this qualifies - particularly the odd bits of Liberator left lying around.
I am sure it has been on here before - but this is a new view of the Ju 287 to me
View attachment 550141
View attachment 550142
But it flew quite well - apparently!

Fun fact; the white blobs on ghe bottom aircraft are blobs of cotton wool or something similar stuck to the airframe to help monitor airflow.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

Fokker D XXIII, luckily for aviation only one was built before Holland was invaded in WW2

 

[Wightsparker]

View attachment 551732

Fokker D XXIII, luckily for aviation only one was built before Holland was invaded in WW2

I would guess that the modelling enthusiasts would like it, though!