Pulp Plane Library

[gary42]

That albatros is sweet.

[starkadder]

That albatros is sweet.

Beautiful, isn't it? It's one of the cleanest designs I've ever seen.

[gary42]

Kind of a mini Constellation!

[starkadder]

Kind of a mini Constellation!

Connie the Constellation is a beloved 'plane in NSW, Oz.
They fly her fairly regularly. Another absurdly elegant 'plane.

http://hars.org.au/2009/05/the-connie/

[Michi]

Constellation. Another absurdly elegant plane.

You couldn´t have said better. That aircraft is so unbelievably well designed, almost organic in shape and disturbingly beautiful. It is like a comic book artist sketched it. To me it is the most spectacular plane of the piston engine era. Of course 727 and F-104 are my jet age favourites...

[gary42]

Constellation and the Gee Bee...  My two faves!  Both apparentky designed by cartoonists:)

[gary42]

If they made the lower pods on that Arctic Turn a little sleeker, it would be the bomb...So to speak.

[gary42]

Not entirely sure it was actually "designed" at all!

[carlos marighela]

Connie the Constellation is a beloved 'plane in NSW, Oz.
They fly her fairly regularly. Another absurdly elegant 'plane.

http://hars.org.au/2009/05/the-connie/

The Constellation was a pretty plane. Then along came the de havilland Comet and made it look positively frumpy.

[starkadder]

Then along came the de havilland Comet and made it look positively frumpy.

But...but...where are the propellers? How does such a thing stay in the air?

[Wirelizard]

I have no idea how this came to be designed but I imagine vast quantities of absinthe may have been involved.

A few years ago I was drinking with a group of pilots (I have my pilot's license myself) and we were passing around a reproduction copy of one of the first-ever Jane's Aircraft guides, from 1912 or so - pre-WW1.

We unanimously came to the conclusion that our esteemed forebears in aviation were all completely insane, mad as hatters, and probably had a death-wish in the bargain. We saluted them with a drink and were very glad to never have to fly anything that insane.

[Blackwolf]

But...but...where are the propellers? How does such a thing stay in the air?

You are a funny man

[Michi]

But...but...where are the propellers? How does such a thing stay in the air?

Let me say this way: There are many many quite a few little tiny wee propellers in a row - one behind the other, put on a long shaft which rotates in a long tube. You can not spot that tube, because it is thoroughly hidden inside the plane...

They invented that when they noticed too many propellers got stolen. 

[carlos marighela]

But...but...where are the propellers? How does such a thing stay in the air?

Short answer: magic.

Long answer: Downward pressure generated by the passage of air across an airfoil creates an equal upward force known as lift.......in other words, er magic. 

The sad thing about the Comet, at least the early versions, is that quite a number didn't stay in the air.

[starkadder]

The sad thing about the Comet, at least the early versions, is that quite a number didn't stay in the air.

I knew it could never work.

I am also told there is a Book of Faces wherein people from all over the world gather and pretend they are other than what and who they are.

This New World amazes.