The most unusual aircraft in the world (22 photos). Aircrafts
People have been obsessed with the idea of taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known flying machines were bird-like wings. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar by falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex aircraft designs. 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 Chinese spinner) is a toy that flies upwards when its main shaft is quickly spun. Invented in China around 400 B.C., the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.
2. Flying flashlight
Flying lantern - a small balloon made of paper and wooden frame with a hole at the bottom, under which it kindles small fire. 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 commander Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).
3. Balloon
The hot air balloon is the first successful human flight technology. load-bearing structure. The first manned flight was carried out by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d "Arlande in 1783 in Paris in a balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern Balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to Northern Canada).
4. Solar balloon
Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air in it with solar radiation. As a rule, such balloons are made of black or dark material. While they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balloons 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 aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but a few manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such a flying machine 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 an ornithopter.
6. Parachute
Made from lightweight and durable fabric (similar to 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 back to 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to lower a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.
7. Kite
Originally built by stretching silk over a split bamboo frame, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over a long period of time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further improve this simple flying machine. For instance, kites capable of carrying a person is believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.
8. Airship
The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship may also be powered and the crew and/or payload located in one or more "nacelles" suspended below the gas cylinder.
9. Glider
Glider - an aircraft heavier than air, which is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of air on its bearing surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some paragliders can be equipped with one to extend the flight if necessary.
10 Biplane
Biplane - an aircraft with two fixed wings, which are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional designs wings (monoplanes): they allow you to achieve larger area wings and lift at 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. There have been many concepts similar to today's helicopters over the past centuries, but it wasn't 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 to be operated by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. Although early testing indicated that the vehicle could provide sufficient mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult to control for untrained infantrymen. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.
13. Kaitun
Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a hot air balloon. Its main advantage is that the kaitoon can remain in a fairly stable position above 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, heavier-than-air aircraft that lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made from 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 the rising currents of warm air and perform aerobatics.
15. Hybrid airship
A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air craft (i.e. airship technology) with heavier-than-air aircraft technologies (either a fixed wing or a rotary propeller). Such designs were not put into mass production, but several manned and unmanned prototypes appeared, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.
16. Airliner
Also known as a jet airliner, a jet airliner is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and cargo through the air that is propelled by jet engines. These engines enable the aircraft to achieve high speeds and generate enough thrust to propel large aircraft. Currently, the Airbus A380 is the world's largest jet airliner with a capacity of up to 853 people.
17. Rocket plane
A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine. Rocket planes can achieve 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 glides. The rocket plane is suitable for flying at very high altitudes, and it is also capable of developing much higher acceleration and has a shorter takeoff run.
18. Float plane
It is a type of fixed wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. The buoyancy of the seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float planes were widely used until the Second World War, but then they were replaced by helicopters and aircraft used from aircraft carriers.
19. Flying boat
Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is a fixed-wing aircraft with a hull shaped to allow it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Like floatplanes, they subsequently fell into disuse after World War II.
Also known by other names (for example, cargo aircraft, freighter, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry goods rather than passengers. V this moment An-225 built in 1988 is the largest and most lifting in the world.
21. Bomber
Bomber - a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes or launching air-to-ground cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers are primarily designed for long-range bombing missions - i.e. 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 alone 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 transportation 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 must have everything you need to Everyday life including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from the cold and cosmic 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.
Mankind has been striving upward for centuries and millennia; legends, myths, traditions and fairy tales are composed of people's attempts to overcome the earth's gravity. The ancient gods could move in the air on their chariots, someone did not even need them. The most famous "sky pilots" include Icarus, as well as Santa Claus (aka Santa Claus).
More real examples for history are Leonardo da Vinci, the Montgolfier brothers and other engineers, as well as enthusiasts who are passionate about their ideas, such as, for example, the American Wright brothers. The modern era of aircraft construction began with the latter, it was they who brought out some of the fundamental principles that are still used today.
As in the case of automobiles, the efficiency of aircraft grew over time, and designers got more opportunities to create some new, often revolutionary means of air transportation. With sufficient funding and support from those in power (more often - the military), it was possible to realize the most unusual projects. Often these were devices unadapted to life, which could fly only on paper. Others did get off the ground, but their production turned out to be too expensive. There were also other restrictions, including those of a technical nature.
We decided to list some both forgotten and promising aircraft for personal use. These are not aircraft for carrying a large number of passengers or bulky cargo, but individual funds movements, attracting with their unusualness and theoretically capable of simplifying 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 US military, who intended to provide their soldiers with a convenient means of transportation. The Aerocycle was a platform, from below to which two propellers rotating in different directions were attached (the length of each blade was more than 4.5 meters). They were driven by a 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 43 horsepower, the maximum flight speed of the unit was up to 110 km / h. 
The YHO-2 was tested by professional pilot Selmer Sandby, who became a volunteer in this matter. His longest flight lasted 43 minutes, others ended a few seconds after takeoff. There were also incidents: several times the blades of 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 by seat belts. The engineers were never able to solve the problem with the propellers, and as a result, the project was closed. 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 tests. 
Jetpack.
In the 1950s, another promising individual vehicle was being developed - the jetpack. This idea, which appeared in science fiction as far back as the 1920s, later found its embodiment in comics and films (for example, "The Rocketeer" in 1991), but before that, engineers and designers spent a lot of effort on realizing the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a rocket man. Attempts have not stopped so far, but the level of technology development still does not allow to overcome some limitations. In particular, there is no talk of a long-term flight yet, controllability also leaves much to be desired. There are also questions regarding the safety of the pilot. 
The "pioneer" among rocket packs was distinguished by incredible "voracity": 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 this was where all the advantages of the device ended. To maintain a single satchel, a whole team 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, a modernized version of the device appeared - RB 2000 Rocket Belt. Its development was carried out by three Americans: insurance seller 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 along with the RB 2000 sample. Later, a trial followed, but Barker refused to pay $ 10 million. Stanley grabbed his former partner and put him in a box for eight days, for which in 2002 after The flight insurance agent received a life sentence (it was reduced to eight years). After all these ups and downs, 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 VTOL aircraft. When looking at it, an analogy with flying saucers immediately comes to mind. At least three years and $10 million were spent on the pilot project. In total, two copies of the high-tech “doughnut” with a turbine in the middle were built. 
It was assumed that Avrocar, using the Coanda effect (since 2012 it has been operated in Formula 1), will be able to develop high speed. Being maneuverable and having a decent flight range, it will eventually turn into a "flying jeep". The diameter of the "dish" with two cockpits for pilots was 5.5 meters, the height was less than a meter, and the weight was 2.5 tons. The maximum flight speed of Avrocar, according to the designers, was to reach 480 km / h, the flight altitude - more than 3 thousand meters. 
The second full-fledged prototype did not justify the hopes of its creators: it could only accelerate to an unimpressive 56 km / h. In addition, the device behaved unpredictably in the air, and there was no talk of an effective flight. The engineers also found out that it would not be possible to lift the Avrocar into the air to any significant height, and the existing sample risked getting stuck in tall grass or small shrubs. 
AeroVelo Atlas bicycle helicopter
Last year, two Canadian engineers received the Sikorsky Prize, established in 1980. Initially, its size was $10,000. In 2009, payments increased to $250,000. According to the rules of the competition, a muscle-powered aircraft had to fly 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 sky of a planet with low gravity. Despite its huge size (the width of the bicycle helicopter was 58 meters, and the weight was only 52 kg), the worthy successor to da Vinci's ideas took off and even in a sense surpassed the "competitor" in the face of Avrocar: its flight height was 3.3 meters, duration - over a minute. 
At peak, the Atlas pilot was able to generate the 1.5 horsepower required to reach the desired altitude. At the end of the flight, the thrust was 0.8 horsepower - a trained athlete, a professional cyclist, pedaled.
A bicycle helicopter deserves attention as proof that, if desired, many obstacles can be bypassed and even something that does not inspire confidence at rest can be made to fly. 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 offspring. 
The engineer believes that his aircraft is better than existing helicopters (it is with them that he compares the hoverbike). The unit does not require advanced knowledge in the field of piloting, as 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 of 30 liters of fuel (60 liters - with additional tanks), the consumption will be 30 liters per hour, or 0.5 liters per minute. The width of the hoverbike reaches 1.3 meters, length - 3 meters, net weight - 105 kg, maximum takeoff weight - 270 kg. The unit will be able to take off to a height of almost 3 km, and its speed will be more than 250 km/h. All this sounds promising, but so far it is unlikely. 
Jetlev.
A fully working water-powered rocket pack prototype was completed in 2008. According to its creators, the first draft of the future device appeared eight years before. A promo demonstrating the capabilities of the 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. $ 68.5 thousand. This became possible thanks to the emerging competition. 
In our list, this is the first aircraft that actually exists, works and has a certain popularity. It is “tied” to the 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. Given a sufficiently long river, a Jetlev pilot could cover almost 50 km (another question is whether there is a person who can withstand such a path).
The development does not claim to be a “serious” vehicle, but it will make you feel like James Bond, who has a new gadget from the research center of the British Secret Service. 
M400 Skycar.
One of the most controversial projects, which in the end may not be implemented. The designer Paul Moller has been creating a flying car for more than a decade. 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 was not able to achieve significant and visible results, but at least since 1997 he has regularly attracted the attention of financial services and regulatory authorities. 
Initially, Moller was accused of issuing marketing materials in which he announced that his cars of the future would fill the airspace within a few years. Then doubts were raised by transactions with securities and a 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 $30,000 out of the required $950,000. 
According to the designer, the M400X Skycar is currently under development. A car designed to carry one person (driver) is, on paper, capable of reaching speeds of up to 530 km/h and taking off to a height of 10,000 meters. In reality, the idea is likely to remain an idea, and Paul Moller's life's work, 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 is capable of reaching speeds of over 200 km / h, which has been proven during the races in the salt desert in the United States. The ability to conquer the sky, according to the developer, the flying motorcycle will receive in the coming months. 
It was not in vain that the inventor chose a bike as the basis for the aircraft: according to American law, it will be much easier to register and use it on the roads. 
Now Dejø Molnar is working on reducing the G2's weight and adapting the engine that powers the bike to work with the propeller. It was 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 assembled 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 was 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 Air Force Base. Each aircraft was approximately half smaller size F-16, but had almost twice 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, the F-16 fighter at the same heights can withstand an overload of only 4.5 g. At the end of the research, both devices were saved:
Tailless. The McDonell Douglas X-36 prototype aircraft, built for one purpose: to test the flying abilities of tailless aircraft. It was built in 1997 and, as conceived by the developers, could be controlled remotely from the ground:
Crooked. 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 the beginning of 1982. During this time, AD-1 mastered 17 pilots. After the closure of the program, the aircraft 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 world's first aircraft using the concept of a rotary wing, vertical/short takeoff and landing. The first vertical takeoff/hover flight was made by the 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. M. L. Mil in 1959 began research on a super-heavy helicopter. On August 6, 1969, an absolute world record for lifting cargo was set on the 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 B-12 helicopter. In 1971, the B-12 helicopter was successfully demonstrated at the 29th International Aviation and Space Salon in Paris, where it was recognized as the “star” of the salon, and then in Copenhagen and Berlin. B-12 is the heaviest and most lifting helicopter ever built in the world:
Flying saucer. The VZ-9-AV Avrocar is a VTOL aircraft developed by the Canadian company Avro Aircraft Ltd. The development of the aircraft began in 1952 in Canada. November 12, 1959 made the first flight. In 1961, the project was closed, as officially stated due to the inability of the "plate" 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 firm Northrop. It was assumed that he would dive on enemy bombers and break them, chopping off the tail section. On September 12, 1945, the aircraft made its only flight, which ended in disaster after 15 minutes of flight:
The plane is a spaceship. The Boeing X-48 (Boeing X-48) is an American experimental unmanned aerial vehicle, created jointly by Boeing and NASA. The device uses one of the varieties of the flying wing. July 20, 2007 he first rose to a height of 2300 meters and landed after 31 minutes of flight. The X-48B was the best invention of 2007 according to the Times.
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 view, but also 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 NASA Flight Research Center aircraft used to study and test the ability to safely maneuver and land on a low lift-to-drag craft after it returned from space:
Reverse sweep. Su-47 "Berkut" - a project of the Russian carrier-based fighter, developed in the OKB. Sukhoi. The fighter has a reverse swept wing; composite materials are widely used in the airframe design. In 1997, the first flying copy of the Su-47 was built, now it is experimental:
Striped. The Grumman X-29 is a forward-swept prototype aircraft developed in 1984 by Grumman Aerospace Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). In total, two copies were built by order of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency:
Take off vertically. The LTV XC-142 is an American experimental tilt-wing VTOL transport aircraft. He made his first flight on September 29, 1964. Five aircraft 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" (Layout Ship), also known abroad as the "Caspian Monster" - an experimental ekranoplan developed in the design bureau of R. E. Alekseev. The ekranoplan had a wingspan of 37.6 m, a length of 92 m, and a maximum takeoff weight of 544 tons. Before the appearance of the An-225 Mriya aircraft, it was the heaviest aircraft in the world. Tests of the "Caspian Monster" took place in the Caspian for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, due to a pilot error, the KM crashed, there were no casualties. After that, operations to restore or build a new copy of the CM were not carried out:
Air whale. Super Guppy is a transport aircraft for transporting oversized cargo. Developer - Aero Spacelines. Issued 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 items to the ISS.
June 25th, 2016
In the 1950s and 1960s, the development of one of the most exotic types of vehicles began - "flying platforms" and related "flying jeeps". The initial 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 potentially useful for many different tasks.
Not so long ago we discussed, but there were also examples of design thought ...
Photo 2. 
"Flying platform" began to be called a vertically taking off apparatus with coaxial propellers located in an annular channel. The development of single-seat "flying platforms" for combat use began in the United States as part of a NASA research program in the early 1950s. Tests included 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 C. Zimmerman, who is already known to the reader by his V-173 and XF5U-1 "flying pancake" aircraft.
Photo 3. 
His proposal was as follows. If the rotor, for example, is placed below the base of the vehicle, then the pilot would be able to control the vehicle by moving its own weight, the so-called. kinesthetic control. This control is based on the instinctive reaction of a person to maintain balance when he is standing or walking. In the "flying platform" the pilot leans in the desired direction to turn the car into 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 - Luckner, Bensen and Hiller - received contracts to develop a prototype platform.
Photo 5. 
In the mid-1950s, Luckner developed an aircraft called the DH-4 "Helivector", later renamed the HZ-1 "Aerocycle", which looked like a hybrid of a helicopter with an outboard engine and a motorcycle. This device was a design with a 40 hp "Mercury" engine installed on it. and a landing gear consisting of air bags at the ends of the spars. The air bags were later replaced with metal props. The engine drove a pair of 4.6 m diameter contra-rotating rotors mounted under the engine, while the pilot stood upright on a platform above the engine, protected from falling into the rotor by seat belts.
Photo 6. 
"Helivector/Aerocycle" first flew in January 1955, the flights were successful, after which the US Army ordered 12 vehicles. According to representatives of the Luckner company, that the car could fly at speeds 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 spinning rotors, but the rotors were structurally close to the ground, making landings and takeoffs dangerous, as rocks and debris could easily hit them.
Photo 7. 
Some sources claimed that the "Helivector/Aerocycle" was easy to fly, but others stated, citing test pilots, that novices could not fly the craft in complete safety. After two flight accidents in which counter-rotating rotors bent and collided, the project was abandoned before anyone was seriously injured.
Photo 8. 
The Bensen apparatus, under the designation B-10 Propcopter, was no more successful. This unprepossessing little machine consisted of a square frame with 1.2 m diameter propellers mounted vertically in front and behind the frame. Each was powered by its own 72 hp McCulloch engine. The Propcopter flew in 1959 and was obviously difficult to fly.
The project was soon terminated.
Photo 9. 
Hiller's designs were better thought out and attracted a lot of attention. Hiller developed its first "flying platform" VZ-1 "Pawnee" based on a contract awarded in late 1953 by the Naval Research and Development Office (ONR). The car first took off in February 1955.
Photo 10. 
The VZ-1 had a pair of counter-rotating rotors, 1.5 m in diameter, located inside an annular channel. Each rotor was controlled by its own two-stroke engine 40 hp The pilot stood over the ring canal, surrounded by railings and protected by seat belts. He controlled the engines with the throttle and leaned over to steer the craft in one direction or the other. The annular channel improved safety during takeoff and landing. In addition, it also provided an additional 40% increase in lift. The aircraft handled well in flight, but it was soon modified with longer landing gear to increase ground clearance and 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 first flight in 1958. The new machine 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 payload weight and flight range while reducing engine noise.
Photo 12. 
The Army has ordered a third larger unit. Instead of a wheeled chassis, like the two earlier samples, a ski chassis was installed. The apparatus had a seat and a conventional helicopter control, as the center of gravity movement control became less effective due to the increase in vehicle power and weight. This version first flew in 1959. The VZ-1 had its merits, but it was ultimately judged to be too small, slow, and only fit for limited use. The army abandoned the program in 1963, and two of the three devices survived only in museum expositions.
Photo 13. 
At the same time that "flying platforms" were being researched, large "flying jeep" aircraft were being developed under contracts with the US Army. This was the name of the aircraft of the twin-screw longitudinal scheme or four-screw. Initially, "flying jeeps" were conceived as a universal vehicle, which was supposed to take place between the army all-terrain vehicle "Jeep" 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 Piasecki, who were awarded contracts totaling $1.7 billion to build prototypes.
Chrysler developed two prototypes of its VZ-6 "flying jeep" and delivered them to the army in late 1958. The VZ-6 was a single-seat box-shaped vehicle with two rotors front and rear. There were rubber conical fairings around the base of the apparatus, 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 did not handle well and was underpowered. The first free flight of the VZ-6 resulted in the machine turning over. The pilot survived, but the vehicle was badly damaged. The Army declared the VZ-6 a failure, and both prototypes were scrapped 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 front and four propellers at the corners. Everything propellers were driven by a single 425 hp "Artouste" engine. The device was controlled by a differentiated change in the pitch of the propellers, as well as rudders. The VZ-7 was 5.2 m long and 4.9 m wide and had a maximum takeoff weight of 770 kg and could carry a payload of 250 kg. The VZ-7 handled well and was easy to fly, but it did not meet the altitude and airspeed requirements. Soon the tests were completed, and the prototypes were returned to the company in the middle of 1960.
Photo 15. 
Piasecki's efforts to create a "flying jeep" were the most successful of the three competing firms. Her first aircraft was the "Model 59H AirGeep", which was given the army designation VZ-8P. The VZ-8P was 7.9 m long and 2.7 m wide, with three-blade rotors front and rear, with the pilot and passenger in between. In the VZ-8P, the 2.4 m diameter rotors were driven by a pair of 180 hp "Lycoming" piston engines, with one engine able to drive both rotors if the other engine failed. The rotors rotated in opposite directions. Control was provided by changing the pitch of the propeller, as well as by 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 install 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 participated in the competition for the development of a "flying jeep" for the Navy, which began in June 1961. It was equipped with an even more powerful Airesearch 331-6 engine, in addition to this, the device was equipped with floats. The new version of the device received the designation RA-59 "SeaGeep".
Photo 16. 
Under the new contract, the Pyasetsky company built another device under the designation "Model 59K" (army designation VZ-8P (B) "AirGeep II"), which made its first flight in the summer of 1962. The VZ-8P (B) was similar to its predecessor, except that the design had a slight kink 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 power 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 drive the machine while moving 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, which allowed the crew to escape almost at zero speed of the vehicle. In addition, the device had a place 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 more successfully on the ground. However, helicopters could land easily in mountainous areas and had more comfortable seating arrangements. 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 1990s, interest in devices of this type reappeared. The American company "Millennium Jet" (Sunnyvale, California) has developed a project of an unusual device called "SoloTrek" XFV. It is a hybrid of a "flying platform" and a tiltrotor. The pilot is located in the apparatus while standing, above his head there are two propellers 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 controlling the engine speed. The pilot, in addition to conventional flight instruments, has a display built into the helmet goggles. When moving horizontally (forward or backward), the screws synchronously deviate from the vertical axis; when the device rotates around the vertical axis, the screws are differentially deflected.
The SoloTrek has a gross weight of 318 kg, a cruising speed of 95 km/h, a top speed of 130 km/h, a fuel capacity of 38 liters, and a range of 240 km. The ceiling is expected to be 2440 m, although it will practically fly The SoloTrek prototype was powered by a 120 hp "Hirth" F30 engine often used in ultralight aircraft that can spin propellers up to 5000 rpm, although it is expected to take off at 3500 rpm. The propellers are made of nylon-carbon fiber composite material and can withstand bird strikes.SoloTrek is likely to be equipped with a 125 hp WTS-125 engine in series production.SoloTrek is equipped with a parachute, which deploys automatically on an accelerometer signal if the vehicle begins to fall.In late October 2000, a prototype vehicle was tested at the Ames Center (California).Its designer, Michael Moshier, a former US Navy pilot, believes that "when it was time 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 bears a resemblance to the apparatus of the firm "Hiller". The "Hummingbird" apparatus is built using modern technologies, for example, to reduce weight in the design of the
composite materials are used. The power plant of the device 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.
Millennium Jet is developing another vehicle called the DuoTrek, which is a hybrid of a helicopter and tiltrotor. "DuoTrek" has a length of 4.8 m, fully loaded weighs 660 kg, can carry 160 kg of payload for a range of 550 km. Versions of the apparatus with two and four propellers are being developed, designed for a crew of one and two people. This development was of interest to management advanced research US Department of Defense.
Other American company RAM (Virginia) has been working on a "flying platform" since 1989 and built the ILV (Individual Lifting Vehicle). The ILV looks like an interesting mix of various early "flying platform" designs. It is a simple tubular structure approximately 3 m in diameter on legs, powered by two "Hirth" F-30 195 hp engines, each of which rotates a propeller with a diameter of 2.8 m. Control is provided by a pilot who stands on top of the platform. and uses a control method by moving the center of gravity. The PAM 100B has an empty weight of approximately 300 kg, can carry a payload of up to 200 kg, a maximum speed of 100 km/h and a range of 40 km. The company intends to use the device, in particular, for the protection of herds of cattle or for the pollination of crops.
sources
Over the past hundred years, mankind has come up with a lot of the most diverse aircraft. We saw both airplanes and helicopters, propeller-driven and jet-powered aircraft, capable of taking off from land and sea, taking off and landing with a takeoff run and vertically. We saw aircraft different shapes- without a fuselage, without a tail and wings, with variable geometry, in the form of a disk, cylinder or cone. We saw unusual hybrids - flying cars and motorcycles, flying boats and even submarines, flying packs and a hybrid of an airplane with spaceship. Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to give an overview of all the unusual aircraft, so we will try to tell you about the most unusual and truly unique.
Solar powered aircraft
Can an airplane fly without fuel and almost indefinitely? Maybe modern technology allows you to build such aircraft.
The photo shows the aircraft "Solar Impulse" ("Solar Impulse"), built in 2014 in Switzerland. To lighten the weight, the aircraft is made of composite materials, while its mass is 2300 kg with a wingspan of 72 meters. The aircraft is equipped with solar panels located on the wings and powerful batteries that can store energy during the day and maintain flight at night. In 2015-2016, the aircraft made a round-the-world flight, while the flight on the longest section from Japan to the Hawaiian Islands took more than four days.
The Solar Impulse is a manned aircraft, so it still can't fly for very long. Unmanned aircraft of a similar design do not have such restrictions. Back in 2010, the Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft was able to stay in the air for 2 weeks, flying at an altitude of more than 20 kilometers. This success led to the development of even more ambitious projects in different countries, including in Russia. Such aircraft, potentially able to spend months and even years in the air, will be able to perform many of the tasks currently assigned to satellites - to observe the weather, conduct research, provide communications and wireless internet in remote areas.
Tests of the Russian UAV on solar batteries "Owl"
muscleflies
Since ancient times, man has 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 unsuccessfully or simply tragically. But after a person has mastered flying with the help of aircraft with powerful engines, people continued to wonder - but still, can a person fly only with the help of his muscle power, using aircraft without engines? There were doubts about this, because the largest flying birds have a weight of only 15-20 kg.
But enthusiasts took up the solution of this problem and still achieved success. Using the most lightweight materials, it was possible to create a muscle car weighing only 30 kg. For the first time, a sufficiently long successful flight on such an aircraft in 1979 was made by cyclist Brian Allen, flying across the English Channel on it. He covered a distance of 35 km in 2 hours and 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 escaped from Crete, from the evil ruler Minos, making wings for himself and flying through the air from the island to Greece. A muscle car was built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Greek cyclist, Greek champion cyclist Kanellos Kanellopoulos flew. Despite the doubts of skeptics, the flight was successful, Canellos 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 the wing and the muscle plane fell into the water near the shore. This flight is still a record.
Musculolet "Dedalus"
Video - the flight of "Dedalus":
Steam powered aircraft
And here is another example showing that if many people fail after many attempts, 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 for vehicles. Appeared, and at the beginning of the 19th century - steam locomotives. 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, the steam planes barely left the ground and fell, flying no more than fifty meters.
The first airplane that could actually fly was built by the Wright brothers using a lightweight internal combustion engine that ran on kerosene. After that, there was a belief that it was impossible to build a steam-powered aircraft at all, because it was too heavy. Indeed, in addition to the engine itself, a boiler, a furnace, fuel supplies, and also water were needed.
But in 1933, the Bessler brothers from the United States disproved this belief by building a steam-powered aircraft that flew quite successfully.
Airspeed 2000 - steam powered aircraft
Moreover, this aircraft even had certain advantages over conventional ones, for example, engine power did not decrease with height, the aircraft was more reliable and easy to maintain, the engine was very quiet. But the lower efficiency and flight range led to the fact that the steam aircraft remained built in a single copy.
Video - Besslerov steam plane:
Hybrid aircraft, helicopter and airship
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 has a length of 92 m (the largest aircraft in the world) and a payload of 10 tons. The body filled with helium creates lift and saves fuel to keep the device in the air. 4 engines allow speeds up to 150 km/h. And in the air, this aircraft can be up to three weeks continuously.
Video - Airlander 10:
Ornithopters
Balloons, airplanes, helicopters, rockets - almost all man-made aircraft have no analogues in nature. All flying living beings, from insects to birds to bats, fly because they flap their wings. It is not surprising that people, if only out of interest, began to try to reproduce the principle of flight, which dominates in nature. Aircraft of this type began to be called flywheels or ornithopters.
Oddly enough, creating ornithopters turned out to be much more difficult than airplanes and helicopters. To date, all ornithopters are unmanned and have a relatively small size.
Here is a video of some ornithopters.
Bird-like ornithopters:
Heavy ornithopter weighing about 30 kg, created by Russian inventors:
