What an interesting period for aircraft! The Sikorsky H-34/S-55, ladies and gentlemen.
Imagine sitting with an immense radial engine at your feet, a drive shaft beside you, and a transmission behind you. Surely one of the gooniest-looking of the goonies. So ugly it's pretty, in an odd sort of way.
Bob
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
In March 1944, Blohm & Voss put forward a proposal to the RLM for a new asymmetrical aircraft, which could be used in a number of roles: fighter, destroyer, dive bomber and reconnaissance. Blohm & Voss had previous experience with their BV 141 in building and flying asymmetric aircraft, and at the time they were working on the BV 237 and the BV P.179 , two other asymmetrical designs from Dip. Ing. Richard Vogt. This project was different because it featured a mixed propulsion scheme, that is, both propeller and jet driven, plus an internal bomb stowage in the main fuselage. As the original Blohm & Voss proposal stated:
"This arrangement gives the asymmetric aeroplane a number of advantages, the greatest being an unobstructed view for the pilot as well as the possibility of great weapon concentration. Also, it greatly reduces the torque moment produced around the vertical axis by the propeller in the single engined configuration. At take-off in particular this motion is expected to be less than half that of the BV141. After take-off the moment is reduced to less than a third and it completely disappears at high speed cruise settings."
Last edited by Badger; 08-11-2012 at 12:17 PM.
Reason: Edited post to show video in-line with thread to make it easier for members to view...
There are no great men, only great challenges that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet.
PM
