The engineer and the manager

After the Christmas holidays and starting with the New Year, we reach to number four of the weirdest aircrafts in history. And the one we have choosen for today is really a weirdo. It is the Vought V173 “Flying Pancake” designed by Charles H. Zimmerman, a notorious aeronautic engineer who worked on the concept of the disk shaped aircraft. This kind of configuration tried to avoid the adverse effects of the induced drag caused by a short wing aspect ratio with vortexes generated by the long propellers located in the tips. The original prototype was built of wood and fabric and was powered by two 80 HP engines spinning propellers that were taken from a F4U Corsair! Although later these were changed for others with a special design. In order to clear the ground on land, the aircraft had a standing angle distance of 22 degrees, what gave this aircraft almost VTOL capabilities.

The first flight of the V-173 was on 23 November of 1942 and had vibration problems due to the complex gearboxes that drove the propellers. During 1942 and 1943 190 the test flights that were performed showed the plane’s easy maneuverability and low speed qualities (even Charles Lindbergh flew it and assured this).

Unfortunately, like many other projects of this time, it was surpassed by the modern jet fighters. The last flight was in 1947.

A V-173 is still preserved in the Smithsonian.

This is a link to a Youtube video where different test phases are shown.

When we talked in previous posts about the specialists, I don’t think that any of you thought about the importance that these people have in the daily workout of a company. These men and women are a collective of which the direction board is very proud of, but they do not pay any attention to them. Although no one explicitly say it, the underlying message is that “these people have so much fun with what they do that they are sufficiently rewarded”.

El ingeniero y el manager

Tras la pausa navideña, y con el nuevo año llegamos al número cuatro de los aviones mas extraños de la historia. Y el que hemos elegido hoy si que es realmente raro. Se trata del Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" disñado por Charles H. Zimmerman un notable ingeniero aeronáutico que trabajó sobre el concepto de avión "discoidal". Este tipo de configuración trataba de atenuar los efectos adversos de la resistencia inducida provocada por el bajo alargamiento del ala, mediante los vórtices generados por las largas hélices situadas en las puntas de los planos. El prototipo  original se construyó en madera y tela e iba impulsado por dos motores de de 80HP que giraban unas hélices provenientes de un ¡F4U Corsair! aunque posteriormente fueron cambiadas por unas de diseño especial. Para poder dejar guarda suficiente con el suelo el avión tenía un ángulo de incidencia posado de 22º lo que le conferían unas cualidades de despegue y aterrizaje casi VTOL.

El primer vuelo del V-173 tuvo lugar el 23 de Noviembre de 1.942 y mostró problemas de vibraciones debido a las complicadas cajas de engranajes que movían las hélices. Durante los años 1.942 y 1.943 se realizaron 190 vuelos de pruebas que demostraron las capacidades del avión en cuanto a su facilidad de manejo y sus cualidades a baja velocidad (el mismísimo Charles Lindbergh lo pilotó y dio fe de ellas ).

Desgraciadamente como otros muchos proyectos de la época fué superado por los modernos cazas a reacción. El último vuelo tuvo lugar en 1.947.

Un V-173 se conserva en el Smithsonian.










Aquí os dejo un vídeo de Youtube donde se ven distintas fases de las pruebas de este singular avión.



Cuando en entradas anteriores hablábamos de los especialistas no creo que ninguno de vosotros se parase a pensar la importancia que estas personas tienen en el funcionamiento de las empresas. Estos hombres y mujeres conforman un colectivo del que la Dirección se suele sentir muy orgulloso pero al que presta poca o ninguna atención. Aunque nadie lo diga explícitamente el mensaje que subyace es que "esta gente se divierte tanto con lo que hace que ya están suficientemente recompensados".

The Guardian of the Word

We reach today number five on our list of unusual aircrafts with the Caproni Stipa. Developed by Luigi Stipa and manufactured by the Italian aeronautic company Caproni this experimental aircraft with its ducted propeller (distant precursor of the turbofan), flew for the first time in October of 1932. Despite its ridiculous appearance (it was called ‘the flying barrel’) it performed well, but due to the big aerodynamic drag its maximum speed did not exceed 131 km/h. However its landing speed was extremely low (70 km/h) requiring a very short runway for landing.

 It had a wingspan of 14.3 meters and an overall length of 5.5 m. This double seat aircraft had a takeoff weight of 800 kg and was powered by a De Havilland Gipsy III 120 HP engine.

Only one prototype was built and the project was abandoned due to its limited performances.


Although the prototype does not remain, in 1988 a 3:5 scale replica was built in Australia (built like this so that it could be included in the ultralight category) and flew in 2001, again confirming the excellent maneuverability characteristics pointed out by the Italian test pilots 69 years ago. Currently this aircraft is in an Australian museum.




This is a YouTube video where you can watch one of the flights of the Stipa.



In one of our previous posts we spoke about the specialists. I will dedicate an upcoming chapter to them where I will tell you how they face their daily and special task, but today they will help us to introduce you all a very special figure. The Guardian.

El Guardian de la Palabra

Hoy alcanza el número cinco de nuestra lista de aviones poco comunes el Caproni Stipa. Desarrollado por Luigi Stipa y fabricado por la empresa aeronáutica italiana Caproni este avión experimental de hélice intubada (precursor lejano de los turbofans) voló por primera vez en Octubre de 1.932. Pese a su ridículo aspecto el avión (se le denominó "Barril Volador") se comportó muy bien aunque, debido a la gran resistencia aerodinámica que presentaba su velocidad máxima no superaba los 131 Km/h. Sin embargo su velocidad de aterrizaje era extremadamente baja (70 Km/h) lo que hacia que la distancia necesaria para posarlo  en el suelo fuese muy corta.

Con una envergadura de 14.3 m y tan solo una longitud de 5.5 m este biplaza tenía un peso al despegue de 800 Kg e iba propulsado por un motor De Havilland Gipsy III de 120 HP.

Solo se construyo un prototipo y el proyecto fue abandonado debido a sus limitadas performances.

Aunque el prototipo no se conserva, en 1.988 se construyó en Auatralia una réplica a escala 3:5 (para que pudiera entrar en la categoría de ultraligeros) que voló en 2.001, confirmando de nuevo las excelentes características de manejo que ya habían puesto de manifiesto los pilotos de prueba italianos 69 años antes. Actualmente se conserva en un museo australiano.

Aquí os dejamos un video de Youtube donde podeis ver uno de los vuelos del Stipa.



En una de nuestras anteriores entradas hablamos de los especialistas. A ellos les dedicaremos un próximo capítulo para contaros como se enfrentan día a día a su particular tarea, pero hoy nos van a dar pie para introduciros en una figura muy especial. El Guardián.

The ASG

We reach today number six at our list of aircrafts that surprise you with the Goodyear GA-468 "Inflatoplane". As you could imagine from its name it was an inflatable aircraft designed for rescue operations, which could be folded into a little container of 1 cubic meter.

Incredible as it may seem, this aircraft was able to fly and it just had to be inflated with a pressure of 25 psi. In flight the pressure was assured with a pressure intake from the engine in order to maintain the structural integrity.

The first versions were equipped with a 40 HP engine and flew at a speed of 116 km/h with a range of 630 km. Its maximum takeoff weight was 110 kg and it needed only 90 meter runway.

It was designed and built in only 12 weeks in 1956 with the idea that it could be launched behind the enemy’s lines in a container to serve as a rescue vehicle to crashed pilots.

The project did not catch on because, as a military said:  “there was no military use for an aircraft which can be shot down with a bow and arrow”.

Only twelve units were built, but Goodyear continued the development until 1973. There are still two units, one of them in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

This is a YouTube video showing this curious aircraft.

Our number 6 on the list of the weirdest aircrafts in history is for the Goodyear "Inflatoplane".

In our last entry we left a short test with some simple questions that should help you to know if you have the basic qualities that are required to reach the highest professional aims in your company. Now, let’s take your answers and go through them.