# Early post WWII aircraft = GORGEOUS!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 7, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166 "2003-04-07T21:22:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 7
### Author:  [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/121 "2003-04-11T13:06:24Z")
My shrine to the B-36…
[http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/gallery-b36.html](http://www.geocities.com/hkhemlock/gallery-b36.html)
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/122 "2003-04-11T13:19:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Coldfire \*
> \*\*[I got yer Caspian Sea Monster right here, dude.](http://www.vlewis.net/myimages11/ekranoplan-1x.jpg) \*\*
That was a Soviet heavy transport, right? Did it ever see any action?
I just saw (somewhere, I’ve deleted the link :eek: ) that a US company is working on a ground effect heavy transport.
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### Author:  [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/123 "2003-04-11T15:06:03Z")
IIRC I’ve seen film of the other Soviet ekranoplans (slightly smaller and with propellors) which were launching surface-to-surface rockets and so forth - looked quite impressive.
Bit limited in use really. Unless the enemy is near the Caspian Sea, its a bit of a white elephant.
Not sure how rough the sea can get for them to remain operational. I would guess pretty rough for the bigger ones.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Mook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Mook)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/124 "2003-04-11T15:43:41Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \*
> \*\*
>
> I always thought the [BD-5](http://www.bd5.com/aanderson2.jpg) ([another shot](http://www.bd5.com/2ndcar.jpg)) was absolutely gorgeous. So was the [BD-10](http://www.jimbede.com/bd10.html). \*\*
Wow! the BD-10 is beautiful! How would you like to have that baby in your garage?
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### Author:  [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/125 "2003-04-11T16:14:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ChalkPit \*
> \*\*The Turret Lysander (P12 Delanne) flew very well as it turns out. They were thinking of using it to strafe beach areas at invasion time. I can kinda see what they were thinking but… \*\*
I take it they were probably the ancestor of the puff the magic dragon , and the spectre gunships.
Declan
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/126 "2003-04-11T23:31:25Z")
[Saw one of these today. F-80 Shooting Star](http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes6.pl?planeid=f-80+shooting+star)
Flying out of Wiley Post airport.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/127 "2003-04-12T00:00:56Z")
I think the [Eurofighter Typhoon](http://mems.egr.duke.edu/~sferrari/eurofighter.jpg) has a distinct balance between classic jet looks, and modern features. It’s quite the looker, IMHO.
[Here’s another angle.](http://www.airpictorial.com/media/eurofighter.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/128 "2003-04-12T03:22:13Z")
**Hemlock** , I barely remember from my childhood, but I _do_ remember (along with the Navy blimps) that no other airplane on earth sounded quite like the prop/jet Peacemaker.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/129 "2003-04-12T06:42:14Z")
Despite its fatal flaws, the world’s first jet airliner, the [DeHavilland Comet](http://1000aircraftphotos.com/PRPhotos/DHComet.htm) was pretty bitchin looking.
If not that, then I gotta go with the Boeing 314, more popularly known as the [Pan Am Clipper](http://www.aviation-history.com/boeing/314.html).
[sub](Now, where’s my fedora and my bullwhip?)[/sub]
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/130 "2003-04-12T06:44:24Z")
**Wow! the BD-10 is beautiful! How would you like to have that baby in your garage?**
Okay, as long as I don’t have to fly it. The tails keep coming off them. Bede is not a good engineer. The BD-5 was a deathtrap as originally designed. The BD-1 turned into the Grumman Yankee, one of which I owned for a number of years. It was a fine little airplane, but had lots of quirks due to Jim Bede’s poor engineering skills.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/131 "2003-04-12T11:46:42Z")
The Comet! How could we forget. What a stunner, and what a tragig history it left behind. [Seems they’re trying to get one airworthy again!](http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=249379&WxsIERv=RGUgSGF2aWxsYW5kIENvbWV0IDRD&WdsYXMg=VUsgLSBBaXIgRm9yY2U%3D&QtODMg=QnJ1bnRpbmd0aG9ycGU%3D&ERDLTkt=VUsgLSBFbmdsYW5k&ktODMp=SnVuZSAxMywgMjAwMg%3D%3D&WNEb25u=RGVyZWsgUGVkbGV5&xsIERvdWdsY=Ry1DUERB&MgTUQtODMgKE=VGhlIGxhc3QgZXZlciBDb21ldCB0byBmbHkgaGFzIG5vdyBiZWVuIGdpdmVuIGEgY2l2aWxpYW4gcmVnaXN0cmF0aW9uIHdpdGggcGxhbnMgdG8gcmV0dXJuIGl0IHRvIGFpcndvcnRoeSBzdGF0dXMuTm90ZSBpdHMgNTAgeWVhcnMgc2luY2UgdGhlIHdvcmxkcyBmaXJzdCBjb21tZXJjaWFsIGpldCBhaXJsaW5lciBmaXJzdCBmbGV3&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=NjQw&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMi0wNy0wMw%3D%3D&static=yes&size=L)
[Here is that same plane during its last flight.](http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=129169&WxsIERv=RGUgSGF2aWxsYW5kIERILjEwNiBDb21ldCA0Qw%3D%3D&WdsYXMg=QWVyb3BsYW5lICYgQXJtYW1lbnQgRXhwZXJpbWVudGFsIEVzdGFibGlzaG1lbnQgKEEgJiBBRUUpLCBSQUUgQm9zY29tYmUgRG93bg%3D%3D&QtODMg=RmFpcmZvcmQgKEZGRCAvIEVHVkEp&ERDLTkt=VUsgLSBFbmdsYW5k&ktODMp=SnVseSAzMCwgMTk5NA%3D%3D&WNEb25u=VG9ueSBSb2dlcnM%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=WFMyMzU%3D&MgTUQtODMgKE=J0Nhbm9wdXMnIC0gbGFzdCBwdWJsaWMgYXBwZWFyYW5jZSBvZiB0aGUgbGFzdCBmbHlpbmcgJ0NvbWV0Jy4%3D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MTI3Nw%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMC0xMi0yMA%3D%3D&static=yes&size=L) It would be cool if they were able to get her airborne again!
[Here’s a good Comet webpage](http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/8803/comet.htm), including information about all TWENTY crashes that occured with Comets. Given that only 113 planes were built, that’s one scary statistic. :eek:
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### Author:  [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/132 "2003-04-12T15:47:41Z")
Thanks for this thread guys. This is fantastic.
I didn’t read **Coldfire** ’s Comet link (my home connection is dead slow), but I really don’t think restoring one is a terribly good idea unless they put a _lot_ of effort into fixing the cabin window design.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/133 "2003-04-12T16:31:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Coldfire \*
> \*\*Here’s a good Comet webpage, including information about all TWENTY crashes that occured with Comets. Given that only 113 planes were built, that’s one scary statistic. :eek: \*\*
In fairness, your link attributes 11 of those crashes to pilot error, and one to a bomb.
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### Author:  [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/134 "2003-04-12T16:38:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Exgineer \*
> … but I really don’t think restoring one is a terribly good idea unless they put a _lot_ of effort into fixing the cabin window design.
Bingo! That ‘zipper’ effect was a killer.
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/135 "2003-04-12T17:29:45Z")
Was it design or materials that were the problem? (in re: Comet)
I have some old newsletters that imply that they were pressured to rush it into production so that Britain could have the drop on becoming a major commercial jet airliner producer. Though that seems rather nationalistic… Or was that just a real nasty rumor that got out of hand? (I have nothing besides some Inside Tinker stuff that concerns this. All my books have to say is when where in service, crashes took it out of service. Most of my stuff is about planes like my OP)
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/136 "2003-04-12T17:41:29Z")
[Tu 95](http://www.rol.ru/news/pictures/monino/monib_39.jpg)
[NATO codename: Bear](http://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/tu-95f_1.jpg)
[Lots of Bear pics and some specs](http://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/tu-95.htm)
_Very_ cool plane, verdad?
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### Author:  [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/137 "2003-04-12T17:43:56Z")
Keep in mind that this is just my recollection of a discussion in a fatigue mechanics course I took in grad school.
The problem was the rectangular design of the cabin windows. The corners were just to sharp. They held up fine under a static load, but the repetitive loading and unloading of multiple takeoff and landing cycles caused fatigue cracks to start and propagate in the fuselage skin from the window corners.
Eventually, you’d get a catastrophic failure and the cabin would rip open.
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/138 "2003-04-12T17:49:43Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Exgineer \*
> \*\*
>
> Eventually, you’d get a catastrophic failure and the cabin would rip open. \*\*
:eek:
Wow! Not a good thing. I keep having to remind myself that much of we know as a given was once a revelation to someone else.
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### Author:  [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/139 "2003-04-12T19:56:01Z")
I am really susprised that no one has mentioned the [Speedbird.](http://www.concorde-jet.com/e_photos.php?ref=ld_af002_161201_005)
British Airways has announced a get before it gone deal. Round trip to England 1 way on the concorde, the other in a 747 (or whatever they are flying that week) for $2,500.
Anybody got $2,500 I can have?
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-post-wwii-aircraft-gorgeous/167166/140 "2003-04-12T21:27:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Exgineer \*
> I didn’t read Coldfire’s Comet link (my home connection is dead slow), but I really don’t think restoring one is a terribly good idea unless they put a _lot_ of effort into fixing the cabin window design.
Already taken care of. The plane in the link is a Comet 4. They were using oval windows by then, having learned a very painful lesson with the Mk 1.
I don’t know how much of a rush they were in to get the first jet airliner, since they were ahead by about six years. The first flight of the Comet prototype was in July, 1949, and it entered passenger service in May of 1952. The 707 prototype (actually numbered 367-80) didn’t fly until July, 1954, and entered regular service in October of 1958. By then the Comet fleet had been grounded, reconstructed from wreckage, tested to failure in a pressure tank, redesigned, and the new version entered service in the same month.
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