The most unusual aircraft in the world (22 photos). Aircrafts
Humans have been obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200btaking off for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known aircraft were wings that mimic birds. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar, falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex designs of aircraft. The iconic aircraft will be discussed in our today's review.
1. Bamboo helicopter
One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or the Chinese spinner) is a toy that flies upward when its main shaft is quickly rotated. Invented in China around 400 BC, the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.
2. Flying flashlight
A flying flashlight is a small balloon made of paper and a wooden frame with a hole in the bottom, under which a small fire is kindled. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and military leader Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).
3. Balloon
The balloon is the first successful technology for human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was conducted by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arland in 1783 in Paris in a hot air balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest hot air balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to the North Canada).
4. Solar balloon
Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air in it with solar radiation. Typically, these balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balls are large enough to lift a person into the air.
5. Ornithopter
The ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an airplane that flaps its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but several manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such an aircraft was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in history on an ornithopter.
6. Parachute
Made of lightweight and durable fabric (like nylon), a parachute is a device used to slow an object through the atmosphere. A description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating from 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to launch a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.
7. Kite
Originally built by stretching silk over a frame of split bamboo, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over the course of a long time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further refine this simple aircraft. For example, human-carrying kites are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.
8. Airship
The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. Initially, airships used hydrogen, but because of the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship can also be powered by engines, and the crew and / or the payload in it are located in one or more "nacelles" suspended under a gas cylinder.
9. Glider
A glider is an aircraft heavier than air, which is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of air to its bearing surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some gliders can be equipped with one to extend the flight if necessary.
10. Biplane
A biplane is an airplane with two fixed wings that are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing designs (monoplanes): they allow for more wing area and lift with a smaller wing span. The Wright brothers' biplane in 1903 became the first aircraft to successfully take off.
11. Helicopter
A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. Over the past centuries, there have been many concepts similar to modern helicopters, but it was not until 1936 that the first operational Focke-Wulf Fw 61 helicopter was built.
12. Aerocycle
In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual flying machine. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended for use by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. While early testing indicated that it could provide ample mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations have shown it to be too difficult to control for untrained marines. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.
13. Kaitun
Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a balloon. Its main advantage is that the kaitun can remain in a fairly stable position over the anchor point of the cable, regardless of the strength of the wind, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.
14. Hang glider
A hang glider is a non-motorized aircraft heavier than air and lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made of aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These vehicles have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in warm air currents and perform aerobatics.
15. Hybrid airship
A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines lighter-than-air (ie, airship technology) with heavier-than-air (either fixed wing or rotor) aircraft technology. Such designs were never mass-produced, but several manned and unmanned prototypes were born, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.
16. Airliner
Also known as a jet airliner, a jet passenger aircraft is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and goods by air, powered by jet engines. These engines allow the aircraft to reach high speeds and generate enough thrust to move a heavy aircraft. The A380 Airbus is currently the world's largest jet passenger airliner with a seating capacity of 853 people.
17. Rocket plane
A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine. Rocket planes can reach much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane plans. The rocket plane is suitable for flying at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of developing much more acceleration and a shorter take-off run.
18. Float seaplane
It is a type of fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. The floatation of the seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float-type seaplanes were widely used until World War II, but then they were supplanted by helicopters and aircraft used from aircraft carriers.
19. Flying boat
Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is an airplane with a fixed wing and a hull shaped so that it can land on water. It differs from a float seaplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Similar to floatplane seaplanes, they were subsequently abandoned after World War II.
Also known by other names (for example, cargo aircraft, cargo ship, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry goods rather than passengers. At the moment, the An-225, built in 1988, is the largest and most cargo-carrying in the world.
21. Bomber
A bomber is a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes, or launching air-to-surface cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers are primarily intended for long-range bombing missions - that is, to attack strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.
22. Spaceplane
A spaceplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today, there are five such vehicles that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.
23. Spaceship
A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to fly in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and the transport of people and goods.
A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule should have everything needed for daily life, including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from cold and space radiation.
25. Drone
Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the drone is often used for missions that are too "dangerous" or simply impossible for humans. Initially they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.
Humanity has been striving upward for centuries and millennia, legends, myths, traditions and fairy tales have been composed about people's attempts to overcome gravity. The ancient gods could move in the air on their chariots, someone did not even need them. The most famous "heavenly pilots" include Icarus, as well as Santa Claus (aka Santa Claus).
More realistic examples for history are Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier brothers and other engineers, as well as enthusiastic enthusiasts, such as, for example, the American Wright brothers. With the latter, the modern era of aircraft construction began, it was they who derived some of the fundamental foundations that are still used today.
As in the case of automobiles, the efficiency of aircraft grew over time, and designers were given more opportunities to create some new, often revolutionary, means of transportation through the air. With sufficient funding and support from those in power (more often the military), it was possible to implement the most unusual projects. Often these were devices that were not adapted to life, which could only fly on paper. Others still got off the ground, but their production turned out to be too expensive. There were also other restrictions, including technical ones.
We decided to list some of both forgotten and promising aircraft for personal use. These are not airplanes for transporting a large number of passengers or bulky cargo, but individual vehicles that attract with their uniqueness and theoretically can simplify the life of a person of the future.
HZ-1 Aerocycle (YHO-2)Personal helicopter developed by de Lackner Helicopters in the mid-1950s. The customer of the device was the American military, who intended to provide their soldiers with a convenient means of transportation. "Aerocycle" was a platform, from below to which were attached two rotating in different directions of the propeller (the length of each blade is more than 4.5 meters). They were powered by a 43-horsepower 4-cylinder engine, the maximum speed of the unit was up to 110 km / h. 
The YHO-2 was tested by a professional pilot, Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. Its longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. Not without incidents: several times the blades of the two propellers touched, which led to their deformation, as well as loss of control over the apparatus.
It was assumed that anyone could fly the YHO-2 after a 20-minute briefing, but Sandby doubted this. The danger was carried by huge blades that could frighten a person, even though the pilot's position was fixed with seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the screws, and as a result, the project was canceled. Of the 12 ordered personal helicopters, only one remained intact - it is exhibited in one of the American museums. By the way, Selmer Sandby received the "Flying Merit Cross" for his service and participation in the YHO-2 trials. 
Jetpack.
In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - a jetpack. This idea, which figured in science fiction as early as the 1920s, was later embodied in comics and films (for example, "The Rocketman" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of energy on the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a human rocket. Attempts have not stopped until now, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long flight, handling also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions about the safety of the pilot. 
The "pioneer" among the rocket packs was distinguished by an incredible "gluttony": a flight lasting up to 30 seconds required 19 liters of hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide). The pilot could effectively jump into the air or fly a hundred meters, but that was where all the advantages of the apparatus ended. To maintain a single knapsack, a whole brigade of specialists was required, its speed of movement was relatively low, and to increase the flight range, a tank was needed, which the pilot could not hold.
The military, who saw in a very expensive project the prospect of creating space marines or flying special forces, were disappointed. 
Subsequently, an upgraded version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. It was developed by three Americans: insurance salesman and entrepreneur Brad Barker, businessman Joe Wright and engineer Larry Stanley. Unfortunately, the group broke up: Stanley accused Barker of embezzlement and the latter fled with the RB 2000 sample. Later, a trial followed, but Barker refused to pay $ 10 million. Stanley grabbed his ex-partner and put him in a box for eight days, for which in 2002 after fleeing an insurance agent received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these twists and turns, the RB 2000 was never found. 
Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar.
In the late 1940s, the so-called Roswell Incident occurred, which probably influenced the minds of Canadian engineers. They took part in the development of the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. When you look at it, an analogy immediately comes to mind with flying saucers. At least three years and $ 10 million were spent on the pilot project. In total, two copies of the high-tech "donut" with a turbine in the middle were built. 
It was assumed that Avrocar, using the Coanda effect (since 2012, it has been used in Formula 1), will be able to develop high speed. Being maneuverable and having a decent range, it will eventually turn into a "flying jeep". The diameter of the "saucer" with two cockpits for the pilots was 5.5 meters, the height was less than one meter, and the weight was 2.5 tons. The maximum flight speed of Avrocar, according to the design of the designers, was supposed to reach 480 km / h, the flight height - more than 3 thousand meters. 
The second full-fledged prototype did not meet the expectations of its creators: it was able to accelerate only to an unimpressive 56 km / h. In addition, the device behaved unpredictably in the air, and there was no question of effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not be possible to lift Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small bushes. 
AeroVelo Atlas Helicopter
Last year, two Canadian engineers received the Sikorsky Prize, established in 1980. Initially, its size was $ 10 thousand. In 2009, payments increased to $ 250 thousand. According to the rules of the competition, a muscular-thrust aircraft had to rise into the air to a height of at least three meters, while having good stability and controllability. 
The creators of AeroVelo Atlas were able to fulfill all the tasks, presenting in their own way a futuristic vehicle worthy of conquering the skies of a planet with low gravity. Despite its enormous dimensions (the width of the helicopter was 58 meters, and the weight was only 52 kg), the worthy successor of da Vinci's ideas took off and even surpassed the “competitor” Avrocar in a sense: its flight height was 3.3 meters, its duration was more than a minute. 
At the peak moment, the Atlas pilot was able to create a thrust of 1.5 horsepower, which was required to reach a given height. At the end of the flight, the thrust was 0.8 horsepower - a trained athlete, a professional cyclist, pedaled.
The helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if you wish, you can bypass many obstacles and make to fly even something that does not inspire confidence even at rest. Hoverbike Chris Malloy.
Some are inspired by UFO stories, and Chris Malloy is probably a Star Wars fan. So far, unfortunately, this is only an idea, partially embodied: the Australian continues to raise funds for the production of a fully working prototype of the aircraft. To do this, he will need $ 1.1 million, but for now there are miniature versions of the hoverbike on sale: these are drones, through the sale of which Malloy intends to partially finance the construction of his brainchild. 
The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than existing helicopters (which he compares the hoverbike to). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, since the main tasks will be performed by a computer. In addition, the device is lighter and cheaper.
It is planned that the device will be equipped with a tank for 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the consumption will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The hoverbike is 1.3 meters wide, 3 meters long, net weight 105 kg, maximum takeoff weight 270 kg. The unit will be able to take off to an altitude of almost 3 km, and its speed will be over 250 km / h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is unlikely. 
Jetlev.
A fully working prototype of an analogue of the water-powered rocket pack was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future apparatus appeared eight years earlier. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of Jetlev was posted on YouTube in 2009, at the same time the developer company announced the cost of the first mass version of the device - $ 139.5 thousand. Over time, the water-thrust satchel significantly decreased in price, which dropped for the R200x model to $ 68.5 thousand. This became possible due to the emerging competition. 
This is the first aircraft on our list that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is "tied" to water, but this does not detract from its merits: the maximum flight speed of the current model is 40 km / h, the height is about 40 meters. If there was a sufficiently long river, the Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person able to withstand such a route).
The development does not claim to be a "serious" means of transportation, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who had a new gadget at his disposal from the British Secret Service research center. 
M400 Skycar.
One of the most controversial projects, which in the end may not be implemented. For decades, designer Paul Moller has been creating a flying car. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for him to draw attention to his vehicles that never took off. For all the time, the inventor has not been able to achieve significant and visible results, but at least since 1997 he has regularly attracted the attention of financial services and regulatory authorities. 
Moller was initially accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within several years. Then doubts were caused by operations with securities and possible deception of investors, as a result of which there were fewer and fewer people willing to invest in a bottomless project. The Canadian made his last attempt at the end of 2013, but by January 2014 he had collected less than $ 30 thousand out of the required $ 950 thousand. 
According to the designer, the M400X Skycar is currently under development. A car designed to carry one person (driver), on paper, is capable of speeds up to 530 km / h and take off to an altitude of 10 thousand meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and the life work of Paul Moller, who turns 78 this year, will end in nothing. 
Flying motorcycle G2.
In the future, it will definitely fly - this is evidenced by the tests of the first model carried out in 2005-2006. In the meantime, the device, which managed to win the title of "the world's fastest flying motorcycle", will suit Mad Max, Batman or Agent 007. Thanks to the engine from the Suzuki GSX-R1000, the vehicle can reach speeds of over 200 km / h, which has been proven during the races over the salt desert in the USA. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, will receive a flying motorcycle in the coming months. 
It was not in vain that the inventor chose the bike as the basis for the aircraft: according to American law, it will be much easier to register and use it on the roads. 
Dejø Molnar is currently working to reduce the weight of the G2 and adapt the engine that powers the motorcycle to interact with the propeller. It is then that the engineer will publish a video demonstrating all the capabilities of the vehicle he is creating. 
It's amazing what kind of aircraft can be built with a lot of effort, creativity and a lot of money. I bring to your attention a selection of unusual and sometimes rather strange aircraft.
NASA's M2-F1 project has been nicknamed the "flying bath". The developers saw its main purpose in use as a capsule for landing astronauts. The first flight of this wingless aircraft took place on August 16, 1963, and exactly three years later on the same day, the last one took place.
Remote controlled. From mid-1979 to January 1983, two remotely piloted HiMAT vehicles were tested at NASA airbase. Each aircraft was about half the size of the F-16, but had almost double the superiority in maneuverability. At a transonic speed of sound at an altitude of 7500 m, the device could make a turn with an overload of 8 g, for comparison, an F ‑ 16 fighter at the same altitudes withstands an overload of only 4.5 g. At the end of the research, both devices were retained:
Tailless. A prototype McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft built with one goal in mind: to test the flying abilities of tailless aircraft. It was built in 1997 and, according to the developers' idea, could be controlled remotely from the ground:
Kosoboky. Ames AD-1 (Ames AD-1) - experimental and the world's first oblique-wing aircraft Ames Research Center and Burt Rutan. It was built in 1979 and made its first flight on December 29 of the same year. Tests were carried out until early 1982. During this time, 17 pilots have mastered the AD-1. After the closure of the program, the plane was placed in the museum of the city of San Carlos, where it is still located:
With rotating wings. The Boeing Vertol VZ-2 is the first aircraft in the world to use a rotary wing concept with vertical / short takeoff and landing. The first flight with vertical takeoff and hovering in the air was performed by VZ-2 in the summer of 1957. After a series of successful tests, the VZ-2 was transferred to the NASA research center in the early 60s:
The largest helicopter. In connection with the needs of the Soviet national economy and the armed forces in the design bureau. ML Mil in 1959, research began on a super-heavy helicopter. On August 6, 1969, an absolute world record for lifting cargo was set on a MI V-12 helicopter - 40 tons to a height of 2,250 meters, which has not been surpassed to date; in total, 8 world records were set on the V-12 helicopter. In 1971, the B-12 helicopter was successfully demonstrated at the 29th International Aviation and Space Show in Paris, where it was recognized as the "star" of the show, and then in Copenhagen and Berlin. B-12 is the heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world:
Flying saucer. VZ-9-AV Avrocar is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft developed by the Canadian company Avro Aircraft Ltd. The development of the aircraft began in 1952 in Canada. It made its first flight on November 12, 1959. In 1961, the project was closed, as officially announced due to the impossibility of the "saucer" to get off the ground above 1.5 meters. In total, two Avrocar devices were built:
Fighter in the form of a flying wing Northrop XP-79B, equipped with two jet engines, was built in 1945 by the American company Northrop. It was assumed that he would dive at enemy bombers and smash them, chopping off the tail. On September 12, 1945, the plane made a single flight, which ended in disaster after 15 minutes of flight:
Airplane-spaceship. Boeing X-48 (Boeing X-48) is an American experimental unmanned aerial vehicle created jointly by Boeing and NASA. The device uses a type of flying wing. On July 20, 2007, he first ascended to an altitude of 2,300 meters and landed after 31 minutes of flight. The X-48B was the Times Best Invention of 2007.
Futuristic. Another NASA project - NASA Hyper III - an aircraft created in 1969:
Experimental aircraft Vought V-173. In the 1940s, the American engineer Charles Zimmerman created an aircraft with a unique aerodynamic design, which still continues to amaze not only with its unusual appearance, but also with its flight characteristics. For his unique appearance, he was awarded many nicknames, among which was "Flying Pancake". It became one of the first vertical / short takeoff and landing vehicles:
Descended from heaven. The HL-10 is one of five aircraft at the NASA Flight Research Center used to study and test the possibility of safe maneuvering and landing on a low-aerodynamic aircraft after its return from space:
Backward sweep. Su-47 "Berkut" - a project of a Russian carrier-based fighter, developed in the OKB im. Sukhoi. The fighter has a forward-swept wing, and composite materials are widely used in the airframe design. In 1997, the first flying example of the Su-47 was built, now it is experimental:
Striped. The Grumman X-29 is a reverse-swept prototype aircraft developed in 1984 by Grumman Aerospace Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). In total, two copies were built by order of the Agency for Advanced Defense Research and Development of the United States:
Taking off vertically. The LTV XC-142 is an American experimental vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft with a rotary wing. It made its first flight on September 29, 1964. Five aircraft were built. The program was discontinued in 1970. The only surviving copy of the aircraft is on display at the US Air Force Museum:
Caspian Monster. "KM" (Model Ship), also known abroad as "Caspian Monster" - an experimental ekranoplan, developed in the design bureau of R. Ye. Alekseev. The ekranoplan had a wingspan of 37.6 m, a length of 92 m, a maximum take-off weight of 544 tons. Before the appearance of the An-225 Mriya aircraft, it was the heaviest aircraft in the world. The tests of the "Caspian Monster" took place in the Caspian for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, due to a piloting error, the CM crashed, there were no casualties. After that, there were no operations to restore or build a new copy of the CM:
Air whale. Super Guppy is a transport aircraft for the transportation of oversized cargo. Developer - Aero Spacelines. Released in the amount of five copies in two modifications. First flight - August 1965. The only flying "air whale" belongs to NASA and is operated to deliver large-sized items to the ISS.
June 25th, 2016
In the 50-60s, the development of one of the most exotic types of vehicles - "flying platforms" and associated "flying jeeps" began. The original purpose of the "flying platform" was to carry out reconnaissance missions, they were calculated for the flight of one person. The larger "flying jeep" seemed to be potentially useful for many different tasks.
Not so long ago we discussed, but there were also examples of design ideas ...
Photo 2. 
A "flying platform" began to be called a vertically taking off vehicle with coaxial propellers located in an annular channel. Development of single-seat "flying platforms" for combat use began in the United States as part of the NASA research program in the early 1950s. The tests involved manned tethered platforms, first lifted into the air with compressed air and then with rotors. The concept used in the development was proposed at one time by NASA engineer Ch. Zimmerman, who is already known to the reader from his flying pancakes V-173 and XF5U-1.
Photo 3. 
His proposal was as follows. If the rotor, for example, were placed at the bottom of the base of the vehicle, the pilot would be able to control the vehicle by moving his own weight, the so-called "kinesthetic" management. This control is based on a person's instinctual response to maintain balance when standing or walking. In the "flying platform" the pilot tilts in the required direction to turn the vehicle to the desired position. It was assumed that such control would allow the pilot to fly on such a platform after a little training.
Photo 4. 
Preliminary tests demonstrated the technical feasibility of the concept, after which three companies - Lackner, Bensen and Hiller - received contracts to develop a prototype of the platform.
Photo 5. 
In the mid-1950s, Lackner developed an aircraft called the DH-4 "Helivector", later renamed the HZ-1 "Aerocycle", which looked like a hybrid of an outboard helicopter with a motorcycle. This unit was a design with a 40 hp Mercury engine installed on it. and a landing device consisting of air bags at the ends of the side members. The air bags were later replaced by metal struts. The engine drove a pair of counter-rotating 4.6 m diameter rotors mounted under the engine while the pilot stood upright on a platform above the engine, protected from falling into the rotor by safety harnesses.
Photo 6. 
The Helivector / Aerocycle first flew in January 1955 and was successful, after which the US Army ordered 12 aircraft. According to Lackner representatives that the aircraft could fly at speeds of up to 105 km / h and carry a payload weighing 55 kg in addition to the pilot, the flight duration was about one hour. However, one thing reminded me that flying was dangerous. Not only did the pilot stand above the rotating rotors, but the rotors were structurally located close to the ground, making landings and takeoffs dangerous, as rocks and various debris could easily fall into them.
Photo 7. 
Some sources claimed that the Helivector / Aerocycle was easy to fly, but others stated, citing the opinion of test pilots, that novices could not fly the craft in complete safety. After two flight accidents in which the counter-rotating rotors bent and collided, the project was abandoned before anyone was seriously injured.
Photo 8. 
Bensen's B-10 Propcopter was no more successful. This unsightly little machine consisted of a square frame with 1.2 m propellers mounted vertically in front and behind the frame. Each was powered by its own 72hp McCulough engine. The Propcopter flew in 1959 and was obviously difficult to fly.
The project was soon discontinued.
Photo 9. 
Hiller's projects have been better thought out and have attracted a lot of attention. Hiller developed its first "flying platform" VZ-1 "Pawnee" on the basis of a contract awarded in late 1953 by the Navy Research and Development Administration (ONR). The car took off for the first time in February 1955.
Photo 10. 
VZ-1 had a pair of counter-rotating rotors with a diameter of 1.5 m, located inside the annular channel. Each rotor was driven by its own 40 hp two-stroke engine. The pilot stood over the ring canal, surrounded by a railing and secured by seat belts. He controlled the engines with the throttle and bent over to steer the craft one way or the other. The annular channel improved safety during takeoff and landing. In addition, it also provided an additional 40% increase in lift. The device handled well in flight, but it was soon modified: they installed longer landing gear legs to increase ground clearance, and put eight rudders below the channel to improve flight control.
Photo 11. 
The US Army was interested in the VZ-1, and in November 1956, Hiller was awarded a contract to build a larger version, which made its maiden flight in 1958. The new unit had three 40 hp engines. rotating rotors in an annular channel with a diameter of 2.4 m. This more than doubled the rotor area, increasing the payload weight and flight range while reducing engine noise.
Photo 12. 
The army has ordered a third larger unit. Instead of a wheeled chassis, as in the two earlier designs, a ski chassis was installed. The aircraft had a seat and a conventional helicopter control as the center of gravity control became less efficient due to the increase in vehicle power and weight. This version first took off in 1959. The VZ-1 had its merits, but it was ultimately judged too small, slow and fit for limited use only. The army abandoned the program in 1963, and two of the three devices survived only in museum displays.
Photo 13. 
At the same time that research on "flying platforms" was being carried out, under contracts with the US Army, large aircraft of the "flying jeep" type were being developed. This was the name of the aircraft of the two-screw longitudinal scheme or four-screw. Originally, "flying jeeps" were conceived as a versatile vehicle that had to take place between the army jeep all-terrain vehicle and a light helicopter. It could be used for transport or reconnaissance operations, as a mobile platform for firing recoilless guns, launching missiles, for adjusting artillery fire, installing electronic equipment, etc. Research began in 1956, then a competition was announced, in which about 20 firms took part. The winners were Chrysler, Curtiss-Wright and Pyasetsky, which were awarded contracts totaling $ 1.7 billion to build prototypes.
Chrysler developed two prototypes of its "flying jeep" VZ-6, delivering them to the army in late 1958. The VZ-6 was a single-seat, rectangular box-shaped vehicle with two rotors in the front and rear. There were rubber conical fairings around the base of the craft, and rudders were installed below the rotors. The VZ-6 was powered by a single 500 hp piston engine. Tethered flights in 1959 showed that the VZ-6 was not very well controlled and had insufficient power. The first free flight of the VZ-6 led to the overturning of the craft. The pilot survived, but the vehicle was badly damaged. The army recognized the VZ-6 as an unsuccessful development, both prototypes were sent for scrap in 1960.
Photo 14. 
Developed by Curtiss-Wright, the VZ-7 was also known as the "flying truck". Two prototypes were delivered to the army in mid-1958.The VZ-7 was a simple metal truss with a pilot in the front and four propellers positioned at the corners. All propellers were driven by a single 425 hp Artouste engine. The device was controlled by a differentiated change in the pitch of the screws, as well as by rudders. The VZ-7 was 5.2 m long and 4.9 m wide and had a maximum take-off weight of 770 kg, the unit could carry 250 kg of payload. The VZ-7 handled well and was easy to fly, but it did not meet the altitude and speed requirements. Soon the tests were completed, and the prototypes were returned to the company in mid-1960.
Photo 15. 
The Pyasetsky firm's efforts to create a "flying jeep" were the most successful of the three competing firms. Its first aircraft was the Model 59H AirGeep, which was given the military designation VZ-8P. The VZ-8P was 7.9 m long and 2.7 m wide, with three-bladed rotors in the front and rear, with the pilot and passenger in between. In the VZ-8P, the 2.4m rotors were driven by a pair of 180hp "Lycoming" piston engines, with one engine being able to drive both rotors if the other failed. The rotors rotated in opposite directions. Control was provided by changing the pitch of the propeller, as well as rudders mounted from below. Forward movement was achieved by lowering the nose of the apparatus down.
The first flight of the VZ-8P took place on October 12, 1958. Based on the results of the test flight, it was decided to supply a more powerful power plant. The device was returned to the company to replace the piston engines with one 425 hp Artouste IIB gas turbine engine, the upgraded VZ-8P flew at the end of June 1959. It weighed 1.1 tons and could carry a load of 550 kilograms, including the pilot.
The VZ-8P also took part in the competition for the development of a "flying jeep" for the Navy, which began in June 1961. An even more powerful Airesearch 331-6 engine was installed on it, in addition to this, the device was equipped with floats. The new version of the device received the designation RA-59 "SeaGeep".
Photo 16. 
The firm "Pyasetsky" built under a new contract another apparatus under the designation "Model 59K" (army designation VZ-8P (B) "AirGeep II"), which made its first flight in the summer of 1962. The apparatus VZ-8P (B) was similar to its predecessor, except that the structure had a slight break in the middle. It was believed that a slight tilt of the nose and tail rotors would reduce drag in level flight. As a power plant for the VZ-8P (B), two Artouste PS engines with a capacity of 400 hp were used, connected so that if one engine failed, the other could control both rotors. One engine could also be connected to a wheeled chassis to steer the machine while driving on the ground. The increased power of the power plant made it possible to achieve a maximum take-off weight of 2200 kg. The pilot and observer had ejection seats that allowed the crew to escape at almost zero speed of the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle had room to accommodate additional passengers or cargo.
The experience of operating "flying platforms" and "flying jeeps" in the 50-60s showed that they had some advantages, in particular, they were smaller in size than helicopters and could work on the ground more successfully. However, the helicopters could easily land in mountainous terrain and had more comfortable seating for passenger seats. The biggest drawback was that the "flying platforms" and "flying jeeps" had small rotor areas, because this was the reason for their instability in some modes, and relatively high fuel consumption. And since they did not show sufficient advantages over helicopters, their further development was suspended.
However, at the end of the 90s, there was renewed interest in devices of this type. The American firm "Millennium Jet" (Sunnyvale, Calif.) Has developed an unusual project called the "SoloTrek" XFV. It is a hybrid of a "flying platform" and a tiltrotor. The pilot is standing in the apparatus, above his head there are two screws with a diameter of 0.9 m in the annular channels, the apparatus is controlled by two handles in the armrests. The right stick is for directional control and the left stick is for engine speed control. The pilot, in addition to the usual flight instruments, has a display built into the helmet goggles. When moving horizontally (forward or backward), the screws are synchronously deviated from the vertical axis; when the apparatus is rotated around the vertical axis, differential deviation of the screws is performed.
SoloTrek "has a total weight of 318 kg, cruising speed - 95 km / h, top speed - 130 km / h, fuel capacity - 38 liters, range - 240 km. The ceiling is expected to be 2440 m, although practically the device will fly The SoloTrek prototype had a 120 hp Hirth F30 engine This engine is often used on ultralight aircraft and can rotate propellers up to 5000 rpm, although it is expected to take off at 3500 rpm. / min The propellers are made of a composite material "nylon-carbon fiber" and can withstand collisions with birds. which opens automatically upon a signal from the accelerometer if the device begins to fall. At the end of October 2000, an experimental device was tested at the Ames Center (California). Its designer Michael Moshier, a former US Navy pilot, believes that as time went on for aircraft like the "SoloTrek".
The Israeli company "Aero-Design & Development" (AD&D) has been working on a "flying platform" called the "Hummingbird" ("Hummingbird"), which resembles the device of the company "Hiller". The Hummingbird is built using modern technologies, for example, to reduce weight in the design and
enjoy composite materials. The power plant of the apparatus consists of four piston engines. The weight of the device is about 115 kg, the maximum flight duration is 45 minutes at a speed of 45 km / h.
The Millennium Jet is developing another device called the DuoTrek, which is a hybrid of a helicopter and a tiltrotor. "DuoTrek" has a length of 4.8 m, fully loaded weighs 660 kg, can carry 160 kg of payload at a distance of 550 km. Variants of the apparatus with two and four propellers are being developed, designed for a crew of one and two people. This development became interested in the Advanced Research Department of the US Department of Defense.
Another American company, PAM (Virginia), has been working on a "flying platform" since 1989 and built the ILV (Individual Lifting Vehicle). ILV resembles an interesting blend of various early flying platform designs. It is a simple tubular structure with a diameter of approximately 3 m on legs, powered by two 195 hp "Hirth" F-30 engines, each of which rotates a 2.8 m diameter propeller. Control is provided by the pilot, who stands on top of the platform and uses a control method by moving the center of gravity. The PAM 100V device has an empty weight of approximately 300 kg, can carry a payload weighing up to 200 kg, the maximum speed is 100 km / h, and the range is 40 km. The company intends to use the device, in particular, for the protection of cattle herds or for pollination of crops.
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Over the past hundred years, mankind has come up with a lot of a wide variety of aircraft. We saw both airplanes and helicopters, aircraft with both propeller and jet thrust, capable of taking off from land and from the sea, taking off and landing with a running start and vertically. We saw aircraft of various shapes - no fuselage, no tail and wings, variable geometry, disk, cylinder or cone shapes. We saw unusual hybrids - flying cars and motorcycles, flying boats and even submarines, flying backpacks and a hybrid of an airplane and a spaceship. Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to give an overview of all unusual aircraft, so we will try to tell you about the most unusual and truly unique ones.
Solar powered aircraft
Can an airplane fly without fuel and almost indefinitely? Maybe modern technologies also make it possible to build such aircraft.
The photo shows the plane "Solar Impulse" ("Solar impulse"), built in 2014 in Switzerland. To lighten the weight, the aircraft is made of composite materials, while its weight is 2300 kg with a wingspan of 72 meters. The aircraft is equipped with solar panels located on the wings and powerful batteries capable of storing energy during the day and supporting flight at night. In 2015-2016, the plane made a round-the-world flight, while the flight on the longest section from Japan to Hawaii took more than four days.
Solar Impulse is a manned aircraft, so it still cannot fly for too long. Unmanned aircraft of a similar design do not have such restrictions. Back in 2010, the Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft was able to spend 2 weeks in the air, flying at an altitude of more than 20 kilometers. This success has led to the development of even more ambitious projects in different countries, including in Russia. Such aircraft, potentially capable of spending months or even years in the air, will be able to perform many of the tasks now assigned to satellites - to monitor the weather, conduct research, provide communications and wireless Internet in remote areas.
Tests of the Russian solar-powered drone "Sova"
Musclebirds
Since ancient times, people have thought about flying like birds. There were myths in which people, attaching their wings, rose into the air. True, in practice, all such attempts ended in failure or simply tragically. But after a person mastered flying with the help of airplanes with powerful engines, people continued to wonder - and yet, can a person fly only with the help of his muscular strength, using aircraft without engines? There were doubts on this score, because the largest flying birds weigh only 15-20 kg.
But the enthusiasts took up the task and nevertheless achieved success. Using the lightest materials possible, it was possible to create a musculolet weighing only 30 kg. For the first time, a sufficiently long successful flight on a similar aircraft in 1979 was made by cyclist Brian Allen, who flew across the English Channel on it. He covered the distance of 35 km in 2 hours 49 minutes.
Flight across the English Channel
In 1988, enthusiasts decided to go even further and reproduce in reality the ancient Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus. According to the myth, the talented inventor Daedalus fled Crete, from the evil ruler Minos, making wings for himself and flying from the island to Greece. A muscle plane was built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Greek cyclist, Greek cycling champion Kanellos Kanellopoulos flew. Despite the doubts of skeptics, the flight was successful, Kanellos covered 116 km in less than 4 hours, reaching a speed of about 30 km / h. True, during the landing approach, a gust of wind broke its wing and the musculature fell into the water near the shore. This flight is still a record one.
Muscleplane "Daedalus"
Video - flight of "Daedalus":
Airplane with a steam engine
And here is another example showing that if many people, after many attempts, do not succeed, this does not mean that it is impossible. The industry began to use the steam engine as early as the 18th century, and at the same time the first attempts were made to adapt it to vehicles. Steam locomotives appeared, and at the beginning of the 19th century. From the very beginning of the 19th century, attempts were made in different countries to build an aircraft with a steam engine. But nothing worked, steam planes barely got off the ground and fell, flying no more than fifty meters.
The first aircraft that could actually fly was designed by the Wright brothers using a lightweight internal combustion engine powered by kerosene. After that, the belief was formed that it was generally impossible to build an airplane with a steam engine, since it was too heavy. Indeed, in addition to the engine itself, a boiler, a furnace, fuel supplies, and water were needed.
But in 1933 the Bessler brothers from the United States refuted this belief by building a steam-powered aircraft that flew quite successfully.
Airspeed 2000 - a plane with a steam engine
Moreover, this aircraft even had certain advantages over conventional ones, for example, the engine power did not drop with height, the aircraft was more reliable and easier to maintain, and the engine was very quiet. But the lower efficiency and range of flight led to the fact that the steam aircraft remained built in a single copy.
Video - Bessler steam plane:
Airplane, helicopter and airship hybrid
Airlander 10 is a unique aircraft, built in 2012 in the UK, which combines the features of three main types of aircraft at once - an airplane, a helicopter and an airship.
The huge hybrid airship is 92 meters long (the largest aircraft in the world) and has a payload of 10 tons. The helium-filled casing provides lift and saves fuel by keeping the craft in the air. 4 engines allow speeds up to 150 km / h. And this aircraft can stay in the air for up to three weeks continuously.
Video - Airlander 10:
Ornithopters
Balloons, airplanes, helicopters, rockets - almost all human-built aircraft have no analogues in nature. Yet flying creatures, from insects to birds to bats, fly because they flap their wings. It is not surprising that people, at least just out of interest, began to try to reproduce the principle of flight, which dominates in nature. Aircraft of this type were called flies or ornithopters.
Oddly enough, creating ornithopters turned out to be much more difficult than airplanes and helicopters. Today, all ornithopters are unmanned and are relatively small in size.
Here is a video of some ornithopters.
Bird-like ornithopters:
Heavy ornithopter weighing about 30 kg, created by Russian inventors:
