We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:06:23 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Seems there are some aircraft buffs amongst us. We heard about some favorites, let's go the other way - what are the ugliest? If you don't know airplanes, you can still play - surf the 'net. Find pictures of ugly planes. Make a nomination. I'll offer up three, just to get you started. I know their names, but I'll leave 'em blank and let anyone who wants to compete for bragging rights to name 'em. One will be pretty easy, the other two may present more of a challenge. This is the easy one. Another view (of a variant) A... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html Fri, 01 Oct 2004 07:45:30 -0600 I would say Amiot 143 is "the best"... It's not just ugly, it's absurdly ugly :) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-9423 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-9423 Fri, 26 Nov 2004 09:14:53 -0600 http://navalhistory.flixco.info/images/PLANE%20Curtiss%20SO3C.jpg Boeing JSF entry: http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2000/photorelease/jsf-dvd-2-010.jpg ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7306 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7306 Mon, 04 Oct 2004 13:42:50 -0600 Heh, I'd nominate just about every French fixed gear, multi-engined bomber designed between 1930 and 1938 for the ugly aircraft list; they manaaged to design uglier bombers than any other country during that time period, though the LWS -4,-5,& -6 "Zubr" gives them a run for the title. There've been whole sites on the net dedicated to this subject and there are no lack of contestants. The first two pictures are Fairey Gannets, the third is, if I remember correctly, a Caproni 'tween-wars design, and the last one is the Caproni "flying houseboat" from just after WW I - it never took off to the best of my knowledge. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7305 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7305 Mon, 04 Oct 2004 12:50:59 -0600 Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7303 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7303 Mon, 04 Oct 2004 08:11:42 -0600 The AF Museum is a nice resource, isn't it? :) Even nicer to visit now that the new hangar has been added. Next year they are supposed to start adding another set of hangars for the presidential fleet and class rooms. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7292 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7292 Sun, 03 Oct 2004 00:03:01 -0600 http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/bv141.html Curtiss XP-55 Ascender (It's going the other way) http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/p55.htm There are *lots* more, but for now...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7291 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7291 Sat, 02 Oct 2004 21:38:16 -0600 Corsair 2 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7285 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7285 Sat, 02 Oct 2004 00:37:00 -0600 The Triple Triplane is also a Caproni production. I think it flew, slightly, once, after which they "had a fire." Wonder if it was insured. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7284 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7284 Sat, 02 Oct 2004 00:09:49 -0600 http://homepages.tesco.net/~paul.crossley/rafpast/aew-a.jpg]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7283 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7283 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 22:37:45 -0600 http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/annex/an33.htm But the ugliest of all... The XF-85 Goblin. Short, stubby and butt Fugly. http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap38.htm ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7282 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7282 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 22:33:55 -0600 http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/modern_flight/mf37a.htm ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7278 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7278 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 17:23:15 -0600 http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/fw189.html 2) Supermarine Walrus -- http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Walrus.htm 3) Fairchild/Republic A-10 Warthog -- http://www.strategic-air-command.com/aircraft/attack/a10_thunderbolt.htm ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7277 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7277 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 17:12:13 -0600 A-4 SkyHawkasaurus gets my vote as the u-gliest plane. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7276 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7276 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 17:05:18 -0600 Woohoo! Ugly airplanes - I love 'em. First, for the ones posted. The flying barrel thing (hard to even call it an airplane) is the Stipa-Caproni. It's a ducted fan, so that barrel-shaped fuselage is hollow and open at both ends. The two-fer is the Fairey Gannet. I recognize the triple-triple-decker flying houseboat, but don't remember what it was called. Now for my nominations. It's hard to beat the French bombers of the '20s and '30s. Pretty much any Farman design from this era, but I call your attention to the F.121 (http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/farmer/120/farman.html), F.222 (http://www.russian.ee/~star/air/france/farman_f-222.html), and F.223 (http://world.std.com/~Ted7/french3.pdf). Then there was the LeO 208(http://www.eichhorn.ws/html/body_liore_et_olivier_leo_208.htm), or the Amiot 143 (http://avions.legendaires.free.fr/amiot143.php), and let's finish up with the Potez 540 (http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/Reviews/allies/potez-540.htm). I think, of those, my vote would go to the Amiot 143. Roger http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7270 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7270 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 13:44:33 -0600 Me 163B. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7268 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7268 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 13:02:13 -0600 CAPT H, has, via email, correctly named all three (really four since the it is two variants of the first bird), cementing his geekiness. Master MunDane has yet to win a cookie, but get's credit for a nomination! The rest of you are slackers (thus far, anyway) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7267 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7267 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 12:19:45 -0600 I nominate the Brewster Buffalo as the ugliest warbird evar! Isn't the third one a LeMay Racer, squishified by the PS job? The contra-rotating RAF jobbie, though... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7266 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7266 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 12:02:34 -0600 Then I strongly suggest you reconsider the design. That one broke on it's first landing! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7262 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7262 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 08:47:57 -0600 That last one strongly resembles my plans for an airborne Flea Fortress. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7261 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/something_not_politics.html#comment-7261 Fri, 01 Oct 2004 08:15:36 -0600