Airplanes

[Jergon]

In the year 1919 was in the Zari brothers' factory built a prototype of fighter biplane designed during the war by Italian designer Tebaldi. Later, both the prototype and the design rights, was bought by Breda company. Breda re-engined the prototype with a 224 kW (300 hp) Hispano-Suiza HS-42 V-8 water-cooled engine. In 1922 and drafted an agreement with the Italian government to produce three more aircraft, but no production order followed. The original Tebaldi-Zari prototype was entered in the Italian 1923 fighter contest. The Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) took no interest in a production order, and no further aircraft were built.

 

[Dormeur74]

This images were created with a Photoshop script. If you need it, it is free.

 

[Jergon]

The Lockheed aviation company was the first in the United States to start work on a jet powered aircraft, the L-133 design started in 1939 as a number of "Paper Projects" by engineers Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, Willis Hawkins and Hall J Hibbard. Throughout World War II, the development of a jet-powered aircraft would be key for the air battles of the war. United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) took note of the design, but at the time they showed no great interest in the idea of a jet powered fighter and missed the opportunity of giving the United States a lead in this new technology. Without the support and funds of the USAAF work on the L-133 fighter and its engine the L-1000 came to a halt. When the USAAF began to show interest in the idea of jet fighters in 1942, due to intelligence reports of the advances in jet propulsion by the Germans and British, the USAAF turned to Lockheed for its first operational jet powered fighter, the P-80 Shooting Star.

 

[Jergon]

In 1933, the Fairchild Aircraft Company undertook a study of new designs based on their Model 71. A decision to mount a parasol wing above the fuselage coupled with a rear cockpit position, clearly distinguished this model from the rest of the Fairchild 71 series, although the company designation maintained the family lineage. the Super 71 prototype, CF-AUJ, flew for the first time on 31 October 1934. After the aircraft completed airworthiness tests, it was loaned to Canadian Airways which conducted operational trials in both Quebec and Ontario (in 1935 even transported two living cows). The original 71P was written off after running into a submerged log and sinking off Sioux Lookout, Ontario on 3 October 1940. Although the airframe was salvaged, Fairchild did not replace the aircraft with a completed Super 71 still at the factory, as the company was involved in a complete redesign based on the Super 71P.

 

[Jergon]

In early twenties the Bristol company built special racing aircraft to demonstrate the capabilities of the Bristol Jupiter engine. Detail design work was authorised on 5 December 1921, and an order issued to the factory for a single aircraft on 23 January 1922. The only aircraft was built in 1922 and registered on 27 June 1922. Piloted by Cyril Uwins, it made its maiden flight early in July 1922. This revealed control problems caused by twisting of the wing caused by the overlarge ailerons. For the second fight, bracing wires were added to the wing. During second and third flight next problems with spinner and ailerons occured. Although the aircraft had been entered for the 1922 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe competition, it was not in a fit condition to compete, and although it was suggested that it be used as an engine testbed, its flight characteristics were entirely unsuitable for this role and it was eventually scrapped in 1924.

 

[Jergon]

In 1937, Howard Hughes began the design of an advanced twin-engine, twin-boom interceptor in the hope of interesting the United States Army Air Corps in its procurement. The design was somewhat similar to the Lockheed P-38 Lightning that won the 1939 USAAC design competition. Hughes later testified to the U.S. Senate that Lockheed had stolen his design, and decided to build his plane by himself in secrecy. It was made in Harpers Dry Lake in California and even workers were not allowed to leave the factories. The secrecy further alienated USAAC officers, especially when Hughes denied Materiel Command access to the plant. After the D-2 was readied for flight in 1942, Hughes himself took over the flight test program. The USAAC had requested information about the project's progress, but Hughess refused again and then the prototype was destroyed in an unexplained fire at Harper Dry Lake on 11 November 1944. All the documentation was destroyed and D-2 became the most mysterious airplane ever (known from the only photo made in secrecy).

 

[Jergon]

In the middle 50's, company of V.M.Myasishchev along with the CAGI started to develop (as a conterweight of American B-70 Valkyrie) a prototype of fast jet bomber with four engines: two Dobrynin VD-7 non-afterburning turbojet engines at the outer and two VD-7F afterburning turbojet engines at the inner positions. First flight was provided 27. October 1959, a two years later the airplane was introduced on the airshow in Tushin. The machine was designate as long range launcher of nuclear bombs and missiles. Myasishchev company later developed a few next variants - an unmanned M-51 intercontinental cruise missile, an improved M-52 and even civilian supersonic transport variant with a bulkier fuselage. Like most of the early 1960s supersonic strategic bomber projects, the program was terminated, though, due to the development of the intercontinental ballistic missiles and the priority assigned to the Soviet space program. The prototype of "Staline's hammer" is now to be seen in aircraft museum of Monin near Moscow.