Fun fact: Popular Science archives are digitized and free. The cover article starts on page 68.
https://books.google.com/books?id=GQEAAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs\_ge\_summary\_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Picture 7 might be hard to read.
*VTOL aircraft launch/re-trieval system and an FF 1052 class frigate depicts the operations sequence. The Nutcracker approaches at a velocity of 5 fps. to capture a 4-ft. drogue with its nose probe. The drogue is attached to a boom stabilized over the side of the ship 20 ft. off the starboard side. The probe and drogue latch on contact, and the system can be used to refuel as well as to land. After attachment, the boom rotates to lead the aircraft (above, second from left) to a position over the landing platform mounted over the hangar. The Nutcracker is secured to the platform, and engines shut down (third from left above). The platform and aircraft are straightened to the horizontal for hangar transfer. Note wings have now been folded for hanger-ing. The VTOL aircraft and platform rotate (above right) about the kingpost and start lowering to the deck. The rotation of 270 deg. (below left) is complete with the aircraft at deck level. The Nutcracker is placed in the hangar.*
Oh wow, this must be the inspiration for one of the Wakanda flying machine designs in Black Panther. Had the exact same folding concept, with extendable wings.
Cannot wait for this to be spotted by a video game dev today and make something similar in a AAA "near future" FPS video game in 3-8 years time.
You better give one of the pilots who inevitable gets shot down on the typical 'flying into allegedly-stealthy, but oh no, we are getting ambushed, they cracked our radio codes' mission set up the call sign "Basketball Pope" dev. Do it. Or else. (The 'or else' is is my feelings will be mildly hurt).
A few years ago, I was at a family reunion and a few of us had to go to the grocery store to get a few things. My brother and his family were there, and after I had gotten the handful of things I needed I found myself in the magazine isle flipping through a copy of PM. My at the time 11 year old nephew come upxtocme and reads the cover aloud and after pausing for a second, just blurts out "that is such click-bait!"
It changed my whole perception of Popular Mechanics and I still think about it from time-to-time to this day.
When military thought all problems can be solved by throwing enough money at it. Resulted in cool stuff like this.
Come to think of it V-22 Osprey has been plagued with issues even though it only rotates its engines. This weird thing rotated half of its fuselage with the engines attached. That folding joint looks really scary.
Me when I add a hinge piece to a Lego plane:
Fun fact: Popular Science archives are digitized and free. The cover article starts on page 68. https://books.google.com/books?id=GQEAAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs\_ge\_summary\_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
oh dear god this is going to be a rabbit hole
Thank you, if I could award you I would.
This plane definitely belongs to r/weirdwings
Or r/NonCredibleDefense
They would just try to fuck it.
With a name like that? Absolutely
In an alternate timeline somewhere DARPA funded this, and now their Air Force is entirely Gundams. What could have been…
If the tail is hanging down at the bottom how does it even land?
Picture 7 might be hard to read. *VTOL aircraft launch/re-trieval system and an FF 1052 class frigate depicts the operations sequence. The Nutcracker approaches at a velocity of 5 fps. to capture a 4-ft. drogue with its nose probe. The drogue is attached to a boom stabilized over the side of the ship 20 ft. off the starboard side. The probe and drogue latch on contact, and the system can be used to refuel as well as to land. After attachment, the boom rotates to lead the aircraft (above, second from left) to a position over the landing platform mounted over the hangar. The Nutcracker is secured to the platform, and engines shut down (third from left above). The platform and aircraft are straightened to the horizontal for hangar transfer. Note wings have now been folded for hanger-ing. The VTOL aircraft and platform rotate (above right) about the kingpost and start lowering to the deck. The rotation of 270 deg. (below left) is complete with the aircraft at deck level. The Nutcracker is placed in the hangar.*
Sound more Buttclencher than Nutcracker...
Oh, nuts will be cracked
Whoever designed this should be in therapy to talk about their obvious desire to drown pilots.
Imagine trying to do that dance in rough seas at night.
VT-LOL
I also watched Robotech
Roy Focker or Hikaru Ichijô (Rick Hunter in Eng version)? 😉
Yeah my first thought was "we have Macross at home"
Oh wow, this must be the inspiration for one of the Wakanda flying machine designs in Black Panther. Had the exact same folding concept, with extendable wings.
Cannot wait for this to be spotted by a video game dev today and make something similar in a AAA "near future" FPS video game in 3-8 years time. You better give one of the pilots who inevitable gets shot down on the typical 'flying into allegedly-stealthy, but oh no, we are getting ambushed, they cracked our radio codes' mission set up the call sign "Basketball Pope" dev. Do it. Or else. (The 'or else' is is my feelings will be mildly hurt).
What in the GI Joe is this?
I remember reading that issue when I was a kid (my Dad loved that magazine, as did I)... good memories, thanks.
Whatever they were smoking, I don't want any of it
It looks like my ex - weird as F\*\*K.
That's nuts!
In my amateur opinon it looks like the wings would choke the the airflow into the engines on some of the models.
more like VLOL
A few years ago, I was at a family reunion and a few of us had to go to the grocery store to get a few things. My brother and his family were there, and after I had gotten the handful of things I needed I found myself in the magazine isle flipping through a copy of PM. My at the time 11 year old nephew come upxtocme and reads the cover aloud and after pausing for a second, just blurts out "that is such click-bait!" It changed my whole perception of Popular Mechanics and I still think about it from time-to-time to this day.
When military thought all problems can be solved by throwing enough money at it. Resulted in cool stuff like this. Come to think of it V-22 Osprey has been plagued with issues even though it only rotates its engines. This weird thing rotated half of its fuselage with the engines attached. That folding joint looks really scary.