The Kalinin K-7 was a giant flying fortress that might have redefined aerial combat in the 1930s. However, the hugely expensive and trouble-prone prototype was scrapped by Stalin.
Here are some renderings of the planes that might have been, with spacious lounges, battleship-sized cannons, and the ability to defend us from UFOs.
(via Metafilter)
4 comment(s):
Wow! Not just UFO's but NAZI UFO's...sign me up!
It would have been even more impressive if it had ever existed.
The thing in these pictures was never ever built. A smaller plane was built, but it did not really look like this. It was too heavy, the engines were underpowered, it vibrated so much it was breaking apart,
The great thing about artist's renderings is that they don't need to conform to any laws of physics and aerodynamics, so we can pretend this impossible great never-built behemoth could actually lumber aloft, and outmanoeuvre such a slick and zippy thing as an imaginary flying saucer.
Great pics, for a retro science-fiction movie.
Yes, that's what I said. It might have redefined aerial combat in the 1930s. However, the hugely expensive and trouble-prone prototype was scrapped by Stalin.
I think it might well have redefined aerial combat as grotesque comedy...
The aerial bit would have been a swarm of tiny gnat-like planes from the opposing force, all raining bombs and cannon shells on this poor lumbering oaf, as it groaned and wheezed its way from one end of a runway to the other, never managing to break contact with the ground.
Seriously, if it ever managed to fly, combat would be a bit like jousting with supertankers.
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