What is your favorite silly airplane?

[aviatoreb]

Ok - here is a weekend starter. What is your favorite silly airplane?

For my opening entry, I nominate the Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake"

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/vought-aircraft-heritage-foundation-retirees-finish-vought-v-173-flying-pancake

 

[Davidv]

SR-22

[aviatoreb]

5 minutes ago, Davidv said:

SR-22

I couldn't decide if to give the laugh emoticon or the star emoticon, but ... well played!

[EricJ]

Cri-cri is up there, too.

 

[aviatoreb]

44 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Cri-cri is up there, too.

 

But it’s a twin!  And twins are better than singles.   Ok - everyone - debate.

[Hank]

12 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

But it’s a twin!  And twins are better than singles.   Ok - everyone - debate.

I always thought the second engine just got you to the scene of the crash quicker. But on the cri-cri, I'm not sure it would do that . . . .

[Hank]

Thiss is my favorite, but it's not really an "airplane"

[takair]

4 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Ok - here is a weekend starter. What is your favorite silly airplane?

For my opening entry, I nominate the Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake"

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/vought-aircraft-heritage-foundation-retirees-finish-vought-v-173-flying-pancake

 

I’ve always loved this thing.  I recently learned that it was developed and flown out of what is now my home airport, KBDR.  Many people don’t realize that this is also the home of the Corsair.  The hangar in the picture is now part of Atlantic Aviation and I drive over that spot on my way to my hangar.  This is also near the spot where Igor Sikorsky developed the first practical helicopter And the airport is now named after him.  The Sikorsky factory is not far from the airport and a number of Sikorsky helicopters are based here.  For a while the company was Vought-Sikorsky.  There is a video on you tube of the V-173 development, including some early models flying inside of the hangar.  There is also mention of Charles Lindbergh, who frequented the airport and I believe he flew the plane.  Not far from this spot is also one of the oldest hangars in the US, you can still make out “Curtis” along the top.  It is supposed to be restored in the future.  Sorry for sidetracking already, but lots of cool stuff happened within a square mile of the spot in the picture.  You would never know it today.  There is also a little known museum across the street, the CT Air and Space Center, which includes many helicopters and a Corsair.....oh, and it is in the old Corsair factory building.  Also, great $100 burgers at the Tailwind Cafe, just outside the gate.

Edit...upon closer look at the pictures...I’m not 100% sure this is KBDR original picture or the restoration at another WW2 era hangar....but the video I mention has our local hangar.

[BDPetersen]

Champion 7JC. Gave a coupe hours of dual in one back in my youth. Never quite figured out how was the right way to land one.

[N201MKTurbo]

How about a Breezy, I always wanted to fly one of those.

[aviatoreb]

29 minutes ago, Hank said:

I always thought the second engine just got you to the scene of the crash quicker. But on the cri-cri, I'm not sure it would do that . . . .

Good answer.

[aviatoreb]

15 minutes ago, takair said:

I’ve always loved this thing.  I recently learned that it was developed and flown out of what is now my home airport, KBDR.  Many people don’t realize that this is also the home of the Corsair.  The hangar in the picture is now part of Atlantic Aviation and I drive over that spot on my way to my hangar.  This is also near the spot where Igor Sikorsky developed the first practical helicopter And the airport is now named after him.  The Sikorsky factory is not far from the airport and a number of Sikorsky helicopters are based here.  For a while the company was Vought-Sikorsky.  There is a video on you tube of the V-173 development, including some early models flying inside of the hangar.  There is also mention of Charles Lindbergh, who frequented the airport and I believe he flew the plane.  Not far from this spot is also one of the oldest hangars in the US, you can still make out “Curtis” along the top.  It is supposed to be restored in the future.  Sorry for sidetracking already, but lots of cool stuff happened within a square mile of the spot in the picture.  You would never know it today.  There is also a little known museum across the street, the CT Air and Space Center, which includes many helicopters and a Corsair.....oh, and it is in the old Corsair factory building.  Also, great $100 burgers at the Tailwind Cafe, just outside the gate.

All that at kbdl?!

my in-laws are in Bloomfield but I’ve always flown to khfd for the better fuel price.

maybe next time I need to check out that museum at kbdl!!!

[carusoam]

Rich’s Breezy...

 

The regular Cri Cri isn’t silly enough... Go Electric!
 

Electric Cri Cri...

 

CriCri

 

 

Gossamer Condor...  Silly, because you need to be a world class flying athlete to fly it 

 

Combining the goals of the electric Cri Cri and the Gossamer Condor...

We get the Gossamer Albatross... the human powered channel crosser....

-a-

 

[N201MKTurbo]

13 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Rich’s Breezy...

 

The regular Cri Cri isn’t silly enough... Go Electric!
 

Electric Cri Cri...

 

CriCri

 

 

Gossamer Condor...  Silly, because you need to be a world class flying athlete to fly it 

 

Combining the goals of the electric Cri Cri and the Gossamer Condor...

We get the Gossamer Albatross... the human powered channel crosser....

-a-

 

I bet I could do a mile in that .

[takair]

41 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

All that at kbdl?!

my in-laws are in Bloomfield but I’ve always flown to khfd for the better fuel price.

maybe next time I need to check out that museum at kbdl!!!

KBDR is on the coast, not to be mistaken with KBDL.  That said, KBDL has an even better museum....

[aviatoreb]

Just now, takair said:

KBDR is on the coast, not to be mistaken with KBDL.  That said, KBDL has an even better museum....

Ooooh....I did confuse them.  So I should go check out the museum at kbdr?  Never been there.

but kbdl has a museum?

[aviatoreb]

How about this thing. Big - luxurious flying ship with 12 wings.  100 passengers crossing the Atlantic in comfort.  Only problem is it didn’t work and fell apart crossing the lake it was built on - that has to qualify as silly

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

Rich’s Breezy...

 

The regular Cri Cri isn’t silly enough... Go Electric!
 

Electric Cri Cri...

 

CriCri

 

 

Gossamer Condor...  Silly, because you need to be a world class flying athlete to fly it 

 

Combining the goals of the electric Cri Cri and the Gossamer Condor...

We get the Gossamer Albatross... the human powered channel crosser....

-a-

 

I had a cycling coach back in the day who was one of the four pilot cyclist team who crossed the aegis sea in Greece.  I’m still in touch.

[takair]

39 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

Ooooh....I did confuse them.  So I should go check out the museum at kbdr?  Never been there.

but kbdl has a museum?

KBDL has the New England Air Museum.  Not bad to visit on a rainy day.  It was wiped out by a tornado when I was a kid, but has mostly recovered.  The museum at KBDR is a work in progress and I think it has limited hours.  It is in a building still under Army control, so has some unique entry requirements....I think you need a passport to enter.  Contact them before going.  By the way, wanna talk silly....Bridgeport CT is also rumored to be the city where Gustavo Whitehead flew before the Wright Brothers.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Whitehead

 

 

[aviatoreb]

1 minute ago, takair said:

KBDL has the New England Air Museum.  Not bad to visit on a rainy day.  It was wiped out by a tornado when I was a kid, but has mostly recovered.  The museum at KBDR is a work in progress and I think it has limited hours.  It is in a building still under Army control, so has some unique entry requirements....I think you need a passport to enter.  Contact them before going.  By the way, wanna talk silly....Bridgeport CT is also rumored to be the city where Gustavo Whitehead flew before the Eright Brothers.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Whitehead

 

 

I will need to check out both of those museums- I didn’t know / thanks!  Silly me I’ve been going to Bloomfield for years!

oh is that a silly plane?  Or a landmark historical plane?

 

[aviatoreb]

Behold the super guppy.

[takair]

And there is this.  A twin champ. Yoke in front, stick in back.  Image from Wikipedia.....but one was recently for sale on Barnstormers...

 

[mike_elliott]

Oh hell no...

[Rusty Pilot]

14 hours ago, Davidv said:

SR-22

You beat me to it!

[TonyK]

I've always been partial to this one.  Airtruk PL-12