secret planes from the dark days of WW2/Cold War

[wifesaysno]

Step 1: Go to youtube and type "Secret russian aircraft" or "Secret allied aircraft", "secret aircraft of WW2", etc in and prepare to be amazed at the array of aircraft oddities that will appear!
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... 34l0j2l2l0.
for starters

I always tell my class mates in the aeronautical engineering program that we in aircraft design stand on the shoulders of giants. Our fore-fathers in aviation did incredible things and kept pushing the limits and all the wizardry of designs today is proof of their progress. The F-22 was born out of the P-51, the B-52, born out of odd-ball planes like the Martin Bombers or XB-15.

Point is, remember the odd-ball planes, the failed designs, the still-born birds, and the ones that were just too far out in left field!

[matthewdev]

Some amazing examples of creativity there! Some of the designs for the very first planes, before they had a history of aircraft design to work off are pretty amazing too.

[andy190]

Very interesting.

Amazing what the aeroplane has become since it was first flown in New Zealand.*

*It really was flown before the Wright Brothers. My Great Grandmother witnessed the flight.

[Flying Trucker]

Interesting Link...thanks for posting it...

[wifesaysno]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYq2pdjlumc
Another one
There are lots and lots on youtube. By the way, Wings of the Luftwaffe is on there as well, just type it in the search bar!
A lot of the Discovery Channel: Wings programs are on there, so needless to say, you can lose a few evenings looking at all these wonderful plane documentaries  8-)

[Katahu]

I'm more amazed at how the Germans and the Russians came up with exotic designs. I forgot the name of the Russian who wanted to built a sea-based jet plane or a prop plane that could also operate under water. But I was more fascinated by the German designs. Those looked more practical and I was surprised that the Germans lost the war regardless of how far their technology progressed.