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Super futuristic project that looked like it came straight out of a science fiction film: the wingless plane from France. This bold 1950s concept promised to revolutionize air defense with an aircraft that took off vertically and flew at supersonic speeds.
In the 1950s, France decided to challenge the conventions of aeronautical engineering and design a plane so advanced that it didn't even need a runway to take off. Imagine a plane that simply lifts itself off the ground using a powerful engine and is capable of operating in much smaller areas than any conventional aircraft. This innovative project promised to revolutionize air defense.
The idea was to create a plane without traditional horizontal wings, capable of taking off and landing vertically anywhere. With powerful engines and a cylindrical wing, the concept was called “Tail Sitter”. France was determined to build something completely new that could be hidden and launched from anywhere, fundamentally changing how aircraft could be used in conflict.
The start of testing the wingless plane
In 1954, a famous French aeronautics company decided to venture into this revolutionary concept. They developed a prototype called SNECMA Coléoptère, equipped with an Atar 101E turbojet engine, which generated an impressive thrust of 3.800 kgf. O airplane design it was so peculiar that it almost didn't look real, with a cylindrical wing 3 meters in diameter.
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The Coléoptère began flight testing in April 1959. It initially underwent tethered evaluations before progressing to free flight. In May, the plane proved its ability to hover for minutes and even flew to an altitude of 800 meters. However, problems arose during testing. The plane slowly rotated on its axis during hover, making control extremely difficult. Landing was a huge challenge, as the pilot had to look over his shoulder to see the ground.
The end of the project
On July 25, 1959, during a crucial transition test from vertical to conventional flight, the Coléoptère tilted too much and began to spiral. The pilot managed to eject himself a few seconds from the ground, but the prototype was destroyed. The project would need additional funding to continue, but that funding never came. The Coléoptère became the last major effort to build a piloted Tail Sitter aircraft.
Although the project did not achieve the expected success, it paved the way for new ideas and technologies in aviation. Innovation is key, but reinventing concepts often leads to dead ends. In the following years, technological advances allowed the creation of new types of aircraft, including drones that can take off and land vertically.
The history of wingless plane from France is a fascinating example of how engineering and innovation can challenge convention and attempt to change the course of history. Despite the technical challenges and the project's abrupt end, the French engineers' bold vision continues to inspire new generations.
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