Obscure aircraft discovery goes on...
 

I consider myself to know a lot about a lot of different types of WWII aircraft but on occasion I find myself seeing a picture of something and having no idea what it is.

Tonight I found myself having one such occasion when someone sent me this picture...

http://25.media.tumblr.com/e3a774a18...w04o1_1280.jpg

Never seen these before...

So I eventually found out what they are: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_FR_Fireball

Mixed jet and propeller aircraft with 66 made and one squadron operational before the end of WWII but with no combat record. Fascinating!

I know that plane.Looks special.Maybe even a "limited edition".Is there someone working on it? :)

The one left is at Planes of Fame, Chino and is restored to static display condition. (Having seen it so many times I don't even notice it any more - lol.) There are no plans for flying it. It turned out to be more of a technology demonstrator than a real fighter by the time it was (mostly) developed, but then it became a sort of proof of concept for the XF2R Dark Shark which could have become a real 1946er (or 47).

IMHO it's too obscure for anyone to do when there are still major types left out.

That and Ryan Aeronautical was bought by the infamous N-G corporation so it's another untouchable.

and, it's ugly....

Who's brilliant idea was it to come up with naming a military fighting aircraft a "Fireball"...? o_O

lol, now that you mention it.

Judging by the wiki article, it wasn't much of a success.

Thats the equivalence of the Mig-13, which wasn't an success either. Both obsolete by jets.

Hey, and I don't think, its that ugly. If you look for more of such, I can suggest following book:

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Complete-Bo.../dp/0831739398

It covers all (minus 2-3) fighters, that were build to at least prototype or mockup status - from the beginning up to today. Many of them never left the ground... for various reasons. :D


EDIT: With more pics: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/The-Compl...item27cf0e5a17

Such as:

http://dmn.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/w...XP-54Weblr.jpg

http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/usa...dated_p-81.jpg

Or my personal favorite:
http://www.aerofiles.com/repub-xp47h.jpg

Also Curtiss made A LOT of unsuccessful prototype designs (after the P-40)!

I always thought the P-40Q looked kind of odd too..

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...2/27/P-40Q.jpg

The fastest of the P-40s but not put into production because it would take too much time to retool the production line. Apparently.

A uniquely Canadian UFO :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Canada_VZ-9_Avrocar

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/xp62.html

Thats ugly!

Dear lord, that IS ugly :D

One of my favorite obscure aircraft
 

The Douglas Mixmaster...

...with DJ Jam Master Jay at the controls.


http://www.planeaday.com/images/2010...-1234S-006.jpg

The "slant" of the hangar is caused by the camera panning while tracking the aircraft fly-by during the exposure.



http://www.diseno-art.com/news_conte...ixmaster-1.jpg

This was an experimental medium bomber. It's performance was excellent and, after refining the design, would have likely been put into production had the war continued, and for the advent of jet powered aircraft...

SSSOOOOOO ... the B-42 Mixmaster lead to the B-43 Jetmaster ...

AND ... the Air Force bought B-45 Tornados.



PS. Both the -42 and -43 are in the Smithsonian. They are VERY imposing aircraft on the ground.

I've always wondered that myself.

Although, except for that pesky N-G ban, I've always thought that the Fireball would make an excellent "Pacific 1946" plane to fly against planes like the J7W Shiden or A7M Reppu.

The structurally much improved F2R Dark Shark probably would have made it into service before the Fireball with all the problems the Fireball had. Though VF-66 was scheduled to be out to sea in Sept. 45 Fireballs had so many incidents/accidents in their next cruise in March '46 that operations were halted for modifications and limitations were subsequently imposed when wing cracks were discovered. The aircraft was finally withdrawn from reduced operations in 1947 after several structural failures leading to total losses, some fatal. It's unlikely the Fireball would have been combat operational for long if even at all.

Only a proto but luckily it stayed that way :)

that really is ugly!

some photos here make me cry...:)

I'm very willing to pay TOP dollar for this girl!

Well if your that interested :)

http://www.diseno-art.com/encycloped...hp75_manx.html


http://www.diseno-art.com/images_5/H..._Manx_fron.jpg