The FMA Pucará IA 58 counter insurgency aircraft is a plane that seems to have both missed its window and fallen foul of international politics.
The FMA Pucará; Argentine Guerilla Hunter
Playlist - Forgotten Aircraft
Avro Lincoln; The Super Lanc That Was Outdated When it Arrived
When the RAF started looking at a campaign against Japan in WW2, Avro did the logical thing and built a “Super Lancaster”, the Lincoln.
The Avro Manchester; Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow
The Avro Manchester was a disaster as an aircraft. But from inauspicious beginnings came a legend – the Lancaster.
The Belyaev DB-LK; How Many Ideas Can a Designer Sandwich into an Aircraft?
Combining a semi-flying wing – which were incidentally swept forward – an four crew sandwiched into engine nacelles, the DB-LK was unique.
IAI Lavi; The Little Lion That Didn’t Make It…Maybe
In 1980 the Israeli’s set out to develop one of the most advanced aircraft of the day – despite not having the tech or money. And they did!
The Payen PA-22/-122; the First (Proposed) Delta Canard Fighter
In 1938, a French designer proposed a remarkable fighter aircraft – a tandem wing delta design with unusual powerplant ideas.
Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2; The Hunchback of Villacoublay
Many French fighter aircraft are things of amazing grace and beauty. It is difficult to say that about the Arsenal-Delanne 10-C2.
Belgian Beauties; The Renard Fighters
It isn’t well remembered that before WW2 a Belgian designer, Alfred Renard,, developed a series of fighter aircraft that had huge potential.
Boeing 818 TFX; The Actual Aardvark?
The 818 was Boeing’s entry into the TFX competition for a new USAF bomber and interceptor for the Navy. Despite winning, it was not built.
The F-5G / F-20 Tigershark; Northrop’s Bane
Northrop’s F-20 Tigershark was an aircraft that seemed to offer everything that a customer could want. So what went wrong?
The F-16/79 “Failcon” Export Fighter
When President Carter banned the export of top-end American fighters in 1977, it left a gap in the market. The F-16/79 was built to fill it.
About This Playlist
The Martin Baker MB.5? Westland Wendover? Some of the aircraft here have just faded into history. Some were good planes that just came at the wrong time and so are now barely remembered. And some are just so utterly weird it boggles the mind as to what the designers were thinking!
