World's ugliest airplanes?

[stepwilk]

I'm taking nominations for what our amply-informed group considers to be the world's ugliest aircraft. I will start the bidding with my nomination, the 1931 Stipa-Caproni Flying Barrel.

Whether the aircraft was good, bad or indifferent need have no influence on your choices. The Sikorsky Skycrane, for example, was probably a superb heavy lifter but would win no beauty pageants.

What think you?

[mr fish]

i'd say the BLOHM&VOSS BV 141 wins by a mile!!!

[chiglet]

Breguet deux ponts?

[seacue]

The PL-12 Airtruk from Australia would seem to have no competitors in the ugly competition.

[irishair2001]

What about the Budd Canestoga AKA The Metal Abortion

[caped crusader]

AEW Nimrod

The AEW Nimrod. Looked like a duck billed platypuss!

[Noyade]

A funny thing happened in the design office today...

[Tankertrashnav]

The Airspeed Ferry must be up there with a chance

Airspeed Ferry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of the early products of author Nevil Shute's company. By the time they produced these

File:Airspeed Ambassador G-AMAD BKS 1965.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

they had obviously learned a thing or two about design, but Shute was long gone by then.

[18-Wheeler]

For new aeroplanes, the A380.
Beaten badly with an ugly stick.

[zlin77]

Yes, another vote for The A380................

[Krystal n chips]

The prime candidate for the award......I could be biased here.....has to be the ATP....ugly in engineering and design and the biggest heap of junk ever to masquerade as an aircraft.....fit for only one use.....as a ground target !.

[Fantome]

Blimey Brown, they've built my damned doodles!

Transavia Airtruck - a beautiful functional ugly duckling and popular with aerial ag.

by Lynette Zuccoli

This article appeared in the December 2001 issue of the Falco Builders Letter.

Beauty and the Beast. Falco sleeps with fascist Gee Bee

Sitting around our lunch table about six years ago, our usual subjects of discussion, sex, rock 'n roll and anything politically incorrect, was interupted by Guido, who had found a picture of the most bizarre and ugly plane we had ever seen. It was published in a book by Giorgio Evangelisti.
The aircraft was the Stipa Caproni, designed by Luigi Stipa and built by the Caproni factory in Italy. We were all astonished when Guido announced, "We must have one of those!".
No-one we knew wanted to build it. So we sought someone who was creative, imaginative with not a great sense of embarrassment, and Bryce Wolff was the chosen one.
Work was commenced shortly after using the available information at hand, then in January 1997, Guido was lucky enough to personally meet with Count Gianni Caproni. He generously gave us information and plans, although very scant, we were able to proceed with the project.
Sadly, Guido left us in March 1997, but his dreams and purpose were strong, and we were motivated to carry on.
We purchased the Italian Simonini racing engine, a bit ironic as it was for a very slow aircraft. The engine was suitable for the 65% scale replica of the original, which we did not consider building as it went into the "too hard basket" as we did not have "Experimental Category" in Australia at that time. Also, the original was rather large, with the fuselage standing at over 12 feet tall and wing span at about 50 feet.

Consenting Aviators: Lynette Zuccoli and the Stipa Caproni.

They flew the replica too - lLegends in Our Own Lunch Times: The Stipa Caproni

[aviate1138]

Curtiss-Goupil Duck - and it flew!

Curtiss-Goupil Duck

[3REDS]

The Dornier 228.
The saying "if it looks right it will fly right" is flawed after you have flown the Do228.

Photos: Dornier 228-212 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

[Albert Driver]

...and yet another vote for the A380.

[brakedwell]

Bristol Frightener.

[treadigraph]

Actually the Air Truck is a positive beauty compared with its older brother:




Of modern aircraft, the Piper Jet looks pretty horrible.

[John Farley]

Some would say there is no such thing as an ugly woman only one that does not perform as you hoped.

[A30yoyo]

Aviation Traders Accountant

Aviation Traders Accountant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


I see people are ganging up on the A380....I think its more stylish than the 747 ...(and the new flexy wing on the 747-8 will take a bit of getting used to)

[fesmokie]

I don't think any aircraft is Ugly. It's what's inside that counts.lol It's only Ugly if you wreck it.... then your most likely the stupid one.