A classic example of an aircraft that exceeded the customers requirements, but unfortunately those requirements were wrong.
Playlist - Forgotten Aircraft
The Beardmore W.B.XXVI – When You Build Everything Else, You Might as Well Build a Fighter!
William Beardmore of Glasgow built just about everything. So it isn’t that surprising they decided to try to build their own fighter.
Stearman XA-21 – The One That Didn’t Make It
B-25 Mitchell…Check! A-20 Havoc…Check! Martin Maryland…Check! Stearman XA-21…What? The medium bomber that just didn’t make it.
The Single Tail Liberators – Consolidated XB-24K-and-N
The B-24 is not a “Forgotten Aircraft”, but this variant of it could…especially as it came within a whisker of being a major type.
Johns Multiplane – Looked Like a Plane Wreck and Performed Like One Too!
When it comes to the “World’s Weirdest Aircraft”, it’s a tough call. But the Johns Multiplane, with its seven wings, has to be in there.
The Ki-64 “Rob”; Doubled Up Engines, Evaporative Cooling…What Could Go Wrong?
When Kawasaki thought about what to replace their Ki-61 fighter with, they combined a couple of ideas being looked at by European nations.
The P-64; North American’s “Little Bull”
Everyone remembers the P-51. But not so many the P-64, North American Aviation’s first fighter, and predecessor of the famed Mustang.
The Gloster E.1/44 (GA.2); Ace or Gormless?
If issues with the Welland engine hadn’t been resolved, the Gloster Ace could’ve been the first jet fighter to see international service.
The XP-50; Grumman’s Almost Army Interceptor
When the USAAC wanted a replacement for the P-38 Grumman proposed an aircraft based on their latest experimental navy interceptor.
YF-93A; The Forgotten Sabre
The F-86 Sabre was not noted for its range, but when the USAF asked for “penetration fighter”, North American saw an opportunity…
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!
