Unique Aeroplanes
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Everett, WA
Age: 67
Posts: 3,585
I'd put in a vote for the XB-70. Mach 3 bomber, half a million pounds, stainless steel construction, variable geometry - all in the early 1960's. It also looks awesome...
Not quite a one-off since they built two, but only one survives today.
Not quite a one-off since they built two, but only one survives today.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 58
Posts: 9,843
Originally Posted by ChrisJ800
I always think the Blohn & Voss BV 141 as being a unique asymmetrical design
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bolton ENGLAND
Age: 77
Posts: 987
Originally Posted by Herod
Planemike. My apologies; you are of course quite correct (or perhaps that shouldn't be qualified either. It's either correct or not). Vernacular I suppose.
Oh, you can add the Pilatus P4 to the list.... It morphed into the rather better known Pilatus PC6 Porter, later Turbo Porter.
Last edited by Planemike; 23rd Mar 2022 at 00:01.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: River Thames & Surrey
Age: 73
Posts: 9,357
Originally Posted by Beamr
One springs to mind especially: the Edgley Optica. I've no idea what the designers had had but I'll have the same. Double.
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: near an airplane
Posts: 2,205
Originally Posted by treadigraph
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,178
The Westland Wendover would appear to meet the criteria....never heard of it until fairly recently, so looked it up. ...of the first two words that sprung to mind, only me can be repeated.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 58
Posts: 9,843
Originally Posted by Jhieminga
. I wish I could find that article.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: River Thames & Surrey
Age: 73
Posts: 9,357
I could mention the Vickers Windsor.
A 4 engined bomber with Geodetic construction powered by Merlins; three built; assembled at Foxwarren near Brooklands but then disassembled and moved to Farnborough for test flying.
Had to have 4 mainwheels because the wings drooped when on the ground; notable for its pressurised crew compartments and remote controlled guns called 'barbettes' at the rear of each outboard nacelle. First one flew Oct 1943, followed by the second in Feb 1944 and third in Jul 1944. Development curtailed as the Lancaster was in full production and the end of the war was in sight.
Then there was the CMC Leopard lightweight bizjet. 2 built with twin jet engines and designed to carry a pilot and 3 passengers. Prototype first flew in 1988 followed by the second with more powerful engines in early 1997.
Project cancelled on the death of the designer, Ian Chichester Miles, in 2009.
A 4 engined bomber with Geodetic construction powered by Merlins; three built; assembled at Foxwarren near Brooklands but then disassembled and moved to Farnborough for test flying.
Had to have 4 mainwheels because the wings drooped when on the ground; notable for its pressurised crew compartments and remote controlled guns called 'barbettes' at the rear of each outboard nacelle. First one flew Oct 1943, followed by the second in Feb 1944 and third in Jul 1944. Development curtailed as the Lancaster was in full production and the end of the war was in sight.
Then there was the CMC Leopard lightweight bizjet. 2 built with twin jet engines and designed to carry a pilot and 3 passengers. Prototype first flew in 1988 followed by the second with more powerful engines in early 1997.
Project cancelled on the death of the designer, Ian Chichester Miles, in 2009.
Last edited by chevvron; 23rd Mar 2022 at 10:01.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: River Thames & Surrey
Age: 73
Posts: 9,357
Originally Posted by ZH875
The Hunting H126, jet powered and could dawdle along at 28 knots.
Two were ordered but only one completed and flown.
Two were ordered but only one completed and flown.
There was also the HP115 'slim' delta designed for swept wing research. Used piston Provost undercarriage legs, one of which decided to collapse on landing one day at Bedford; the runway controller (temporarily on detachment from Farnborough) told me he watched as the aircraft described a circle around his vantage point.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 58
Posts: 9,843
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Outer ring of HEL
Posts: 942
Originally Posted by chevvron
I flew the prototype at Farnborough with Angus McVitie; landed it too!!
