Uh-oh, here comes trouble...

[beaky]

I found an old magazine of mine recently with several pages of very unusual old aircraft, and will post them as a "guess the aircraft" series... don't have all the info. on each odd bird handy yet (like: whether or not each actually flew!!), but I may elaborate later.

Here's the first:

[Saratoga]

If I didn't know better I would say it was a model aircraft. Seems the only thing that could fit in the back would be a direct drive electric motor.

Dunno what it is, but it's sure as heck old.

[beaky]

If I didn't know better I would say it was a model aircraft. Seems the only thing that could fit in the back would be a direct drive electric motor.

Dunno what it is, but it's sure as heck old.

Nope, it's a full-size aircraft, and if you look at the front, you can see a metal louvered section... the engine was up there, and there was a looong shaft to the prop. It was an early experiment in deviating from the canard arrangement, with the prop in the rear to present smoother air to the nose and wings. But the long fuselage (to counter the weight of engine and pilot) and that tall clunky tailskid (to keep the prop clear of the ground) really must've added a lot of drag.
Anyway, it is very old, and it actually had a name... any guesses?

[Saratoga]

Not a clue, but once it's solved can you link me the page where you got that picture (if you got it off the Internet)? I would be interested in making a radio controlled model of it.

[beaky]

Sure, but I think I scared everybody away with this one (which is too bad, because it's not the weirdest one I've got!).
 Here's a hint: it's French.
And there may be pix of it on the Web, but I got this one from an old magazine...

[Rifleman]

Looking into my old model A/C plans .....that rudder looks suspiciously like one I have seen before..........

[beaky]

Looking into my old model A/C plans .....that rudder looks suspiciously like one I have seen before..........

OK, but don't forget: this was a full-size gasoline-powered aircraft.

[Rifleman]

Without knowing every type of experimental A/C which popped out of the woodwork back in the early days, I would have to say that this one is some form of a racing Caudron.....if not, it appears to have been  heavily influenced by the Caudron brothers........

[beaky]

Well, this one was so damn obscure, it was hardly any fun . It's been more that a week, so here's the answer:
The Paulham-Tatin Torpedo, built in France in  1910. No idea if it ever flew, or how. Approaching this one as a test pilot, I'd be most wary of the wings...
 I'll try another one soon; might be easier...

[Felix/FFDS]

Good find & true stumper!

[Saratoga]

Very nice find indeed, I like that it was challenging.