Guess the plane

[red750]

Original two place named after designer, later four place after US state of manufacture.

 

 

[willedoo]

Well, I thought it might be made in the U.S., as it looks a bit like a Hartzell sticker on the prop. Searched quite a bit there but I'll have to give it another go with those clues in mind.

 

Cheers, Willie.

 

 

[red750]

Willie, I was about to spill the beans, but I'll give you a chance to find it.

 

 

[willedoo]

I'll have to admit defeat on this one.

 

 

[red750]

OK. Here it is, with the story from Wikipedia.

 

Texas Bullet 205. (Originally the Johnson Rocket 185)

 

Johnson originally built a homebuilt Rocket 125 which first flew in 1942. The Rocket 125 was a low-wing cabin monoplane powered by a Lycoming O-290 engine.[2] He developed the design into the Rocket 185 with a 185 hp (138 kW) Lycoming O-435-A engine and retractable landing gear.[3] It was a high performance aircraft for the late 1940s with a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). In August 1945, Fred Pittera who had been an Advanced Military Pilot Training instructor on the four-engine B-24 Bomber at the nearby Fort Worth Army Air Field, joined the Johnson Rocket Aircraft as a test pilot, flying the P-39 aircraft look-alike through its various test regimens and finally in late 1945 flew the Johnson Rocket 185 with an FAA flight examiner for its first production qualification approval. A Federal Aviation Authority Type Certificate was issued on 10 September 1946.[4] Introduced in August 1945, the Rocket 185 was pitched with the phrase "get a super-performing airplane for only $5,000 - order your 'Rocket' now!". A sales tour began in June 1946.[5] However, because of its high performance and limited seating (two, sometimes three), the market was limited to experienced pilots and only 18 were built.

 

After losing control of the Rocket 185 program to the dealers who were organized as Rocket Aircraft Sales, Johnson began work on a new, all-metal, two seat design called the Bullet 125. The design concept changed to a four-place powered by a Continental E-185 engine and was eventually certificated in 1950 as the Texas Bullet 205 by the Aircraft Manufacturing Company based at Tyler, Texas.

 

 

[willedoo]

Interesting history, Peter. I guess it would have no relationship to the Johnson Twin 60 from the mid 20's. I think it was a one-off.

 

 

[red750]

See if you have any better luck with this one.

 

 

 

[Litespeed]

Finally a easy one

 

Harman Rocket Radial RG:cheers:

 

 

[red750]

Close enough. I have listed as the Altitude Radial Rocket RG, by Altitude Group LLC.

 

 

 

[Bats]

Paint that up as a warbird and you'd convince a fair portion of the population. Certainly has moved a long way from the RV-4 it was developed from, I see this version even has a different tail.

 

 

[Yenn]

Good looking aeroplane, but then it was developed from my favourite.

 

 

[willedoo]

This one might be fairly easy. It can be configured with wheels as well.

 

 

 

[microman]

Sigma - made in Ukraine - we have 4 in NZ - we call them "the egg"

 

 

[willedoo]

That's it, the Elitar Sigma. I heard they had some in NZ.

 

It looks like a fun little floatplane, enough room for a fishing rod and a bit of camping gear.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Certainly is eyecatching.

 

Looks like the love child of a aircraft and Mork from Ork's spaceship.

 

But is cool.

 

 

[Vev]

Ok guys ... which one of you clever people knows the identity of this ugly aircraft?

 

Btw ... I have no idea!

 

Cheers

 

Vev

 

 

 

[Litespeed]

That would be a twin engined Fugly Mk1

 

 

[red750]

Looks to me like a Burnelli Lifting Fuselage. The fuselage had an airfoil shape to provide a large amount of the lift.

 

 

 

[Litespeed]

Yes the Fugly Mk1 is a interesting design.If you look carefully you will notice it does not have engines just props.

 

After testing it was decided engines were not needed. The looks been sufficient that the Earth repelled it from the ground. It was only when employing attractive stewardesses who could flash out the window were the looks improved enough to allow mother Earth to permit landing.

 

Sadly chaining the girls to the aircraft to keep it ground bound between flights was considered poor form. Alas it did not prove a commercial success.

 

This caused the end to the promising career of chief designer Dr Rectum Ring Spitter.

 

Although rumours abounded that he was noticed by Stalin for his undoubted genius and was whisked away in the middle of the night. It is thought he headed Russian Car Design team for 40 years.

 

 

[red750]

Nice one Litespeed. Hahaha.

 

Actually the designer was American engineer Vincent Burnelli, and it was built by Canadian Car and Foundry, so you weren't that far off.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Close Red but no cigar.

 

The Fugly Mk1 is actually quite a bit different to the Burnelli. Have a look at the tail, and the engine nacelles.

 

You may be thinking of the Buutt Fugly Mk11

 

 

[willedoo]

Burnelli UB-14.

 

Things With Wings - To fly or not to fly: Burnelli Lifting Fuselage

 

 

[willedoo]

Ok guys ... which one of you clever people knows the identity of this ugly aircraft?[ATTACH=full]45107[/ATTACH]

The Burnelli doesn't look so bad compared to some.

 

There's enough out there to start an ugly aircraft thread.

 

 

 

 

[Vev]

Indeed ... very UGLY aircraft.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Top pic has "wing-loading " problems, the next had noise problems, LoL

 

spacesailor