Planes That Never Flew
Encyclopedia
Planes That Never Flew is a Discovery Channel
documentary series about experimental aircraft
projects that never flew. Over four one-hour episodes, the series examined the history behind aborted projects to build two jet fighters, a supersonic transport
(SST), and a nuclear powered
long range bomber
.
but later cancelled due to lack of interest.
In The Last Rocket Fighter, the series examined at the Saunders-Roe SR.177, a combined jet
- and rocket
-powered interceptor aircraft
, planned by the British company Saunders-Roe
, but cancelled in 1957 due to a change in strategic plans.
In The American SST, the series examined American attempts to build a supersonic airliner which began in the 1960s in response to the Anglo-French Concorde
project. The furthest advanced proposal, the Boeing 2707
project, was eventually cancelled in 1971 by Congress.
In The Atomic Bomber, the series examines the WS-125
, an attempt by the United States Air Force
to develop a nuclear powered strategic bomber which could fly non-stop without refuelling. It was eventually cancelled in 1961 as unfeasible.
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
documentary series about experimental aircraft
Experimental aircraft
An experimental aircraft is an aircraft that has not yet been fully proven in flight. Often, this implies that new aerospace technologies are being tested on the aircraft, though the label is more broad....
projects that never flew. Over four one-hour episodes, the series examined the history behind aborted projects to build two jet fighters, a supersonic transport
Supersonic transport
A supersonic transport is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. The only SSTs to see regular service to date have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 with its last ever...
(SST), and a nuclear powered
Nuclear aircraft
A nuclear aircraft is an aircraft powered by nuclear energy. Research into them was pursued during the Cold War by the United States and the Soviet Union as they would presumably allow a country to keep nuclear bombers in the air for extremely long periods of time, a useful tactic for nuclear...
long range bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
.
Episodes
In America's First Jet Fighter, the series examines the Lockheed L-133, the first attempt by an American company to build a jet-powered fighter, begun in 1939 by LockheedLockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
but later cancelled due to lack of interest.
In The Last Rocket Fighter, the series examined at the Saunders-Roe SR.177, a combined jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
- and rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
-powered interceptor aircraft
Interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
, planned by the British company Saunders-Roe
Saunders-Roe
Saunders-Roe Limited was a British aero- and marine-engineering company based at Columbine Works East Cowes, Isle of Wight.-History:The name was adopted in 1929 after Alliot Verdon Roe and John Lord took a controlling interest in the boat-builders S.E. Saunders...
, but cancelled in 1957 due to a change in strategic plans.
In The American SST, the series examined American attempts to build a supersonic airliner which began in the 1960s in response to the Anglo-French Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
project. The furthest advanced proposal, the Boeing 2707
Boeing 2707
The Boeing 2707 was developed as the first American supersonic transport . After winning a competition for a government-funded contract to build an American SST, Boeing began development at its facilities in Seattle, Washington...
project, was eventually cancelled in 1971 by Congress.
In The Atomic Bomber, the series examines the WS-125
WS-125
The WS-125 was a proposed super long range bomber, designed by the United States during the cold war. It was supposed to be a nuclear aircraft and was scheduled to be named as B-72....
, an attempt by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
to develop a nuclear powered strategic bomber which could fly non-stop without refuelling. It was eventually cancelled in 1961 as unfeasible.
DVD
A DVD of the series was released on 19 April 2004, the cover of which depicts illustrations of the four aircraft.See also
:Category:Cancelled aircraft projects- List of experimental aircraft
- List of programs broadcast by Discovery Channel
- Timeline of aviationTimeline of aviationThis article does not contain direct references or citations but it builds upon other articles in Wikipedia which you can find in the links and in the year by year articles to the left. Those articles have references and citations...