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)!