Little known / experimental aircraft

[Llarry]

The WW2-era German Focke-Angelis Fa 223 Drache (Dragon) twin rotor helicopter was powered by a 1,000 hp radial engine and had a load capability ahead of its time. As opposed to the Kaman designs, the twin-rotors were more widely spaced. though still intermeshing. Only 20 were built due to Allied bombing.

 

[Llarry]

The WW2-era German Focke-Angelis Fa 223 Drache (Dragon) twin rotor helicopter was powered by a 1,000 hp radial engine and had a load capability ahead of its time. As opposed to the Kaman designs, the twin-rotors were more widely spaced. though still intermeshing. Only 20 were built due to Allied bombing.

I screwed up the name of the manufacturer: It's Focke-Achgelis.

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

Interesting YouTube that goes more of the story of the Fa 223.
It was an extremely capable aircraft.
It had entered production, and would have been more seen and known if the war had continued.

Luftwaffe sling load field gun.

RAF captured.

Czechoslovakian post war.

French post war.

USAAC post war.

 

[Griz882]

Interesting YouTube that goes more of the story of the Fa 223.
It was an extremely capable aircraft.
It had entered production, and would have been more seen and known if the war had continued.

Luftwaffe sling load field gun.

RAF captured.

Czechoslovakian post war.

French post war.

USAAC post war.

I once interviewed a German soldier who was evacuated out of Stalingrad on one of these. He had no idea what it was called, but he described it perfectly.

 

[Gatordev]

He had no idea what it was called

I believe the correct term was FLŰGGÅƏNK∂€ČHIŒβØL∫ÊN.

 

[Griz882]

I believe the correct term was FLŰGGÅƏNK∂€ČHIŒβØL∫ÊN.

 

[GroundPounder]

View attachment 42929

Bought a t shirt in Myrtle Beach like that circa 1983. I was advised by my parents that it would not be making the trip home, and to get my money's worth out of it that week.

I topped off the look by using a ton of " Sun In " in my luxurious hair. I looked like a 5/7 scale Rick Flair when we got back.

What a F'n moron.

 

[Lawman]

Curious to see aircraft that never made it big. Here is one:

Boeing YB-40 - as if attacking a regular B-17 wasn't tough enough.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YB-40_Flying_Fortress

Really interesting deep dive on why this COA was abandoned.

 

[TacticalTater]

Really interesting deep dive on why this COA was abandoned.

If i remember correctly once the bombers dropped the loads the "gunships" were slower and got left behind by the bombers defeating the overall purpose.

 

[Lawman]

If i remember correctly once the bombers dropped the loads the "gunships" were slower and got left behind by the bombers defeating the overall purpose.

He talks it out in there and more in another video. The formation procedures put out across the 8th actually dropped speed overall and minimized the return speed difference to lower the number of stragglers. The Destroyer could keep up unless they lost an engine.

Lowering formation speeds was seen as a more effective means for total survivability increasing time for the formation at the cost of shared vulnerability vs condemning a crew to almost certain loss as a lone aircraft.