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Alcor Duo-4, Duo-6, and C-6-1 Transports - Designed by Allan Lockheed, the Alcor series of aircraft had a unique engine installation, clean lines, and good performance. Unfortunately, the C-6-1’s avoidable destruction caused the company’s closure.
Beardmore Inflexible / Rohrbach Ro VI Transport - At the time of its first flight in 1928, the Beardmore Inflexible was the largest aircraft in the world. The experimental transport tested all-metal, stressed skin construction and flew well, but it was underpowered.
Bellanca 28-92 Trimotor - The Bellanca 28-92 was designed as a long-distance aircraft. Although it participated in two Bendix Trophy races, the aircraft never found an enthusiastic owner or the support it needed.
Bugatti Model 100P Racer - The Bugatti 100P was designed to set the 3 km absolute world speed record for landplanes and was arguably one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. WWII prevented the aircraft from being finished.
Caproni Ca.90 Heavy Bomber - When it was first flown in 1929, the Caproni Ca.90 bomber was the world’s largest landplane. The aircraft set six payload records but did not find favor with the Italian Air Ministry.
Curtiss XF6C-6 Page Navy Racer - Based on a standard Curtiss F6C-3 Hawk biplane, the XF6C-6 monoplane was specially designed as a pylon air racer. Flown by Capt. Arthur Page, the aircraft had a commanding lead when it crashed during its first race.
De Havilland DH.91 Albatross Transport - The de Havilland DH.91 Albatross was an elegant, pre-WWII airliner and mailplane of wooden construction. After short careers, the mailplanes were pressed into service as transports during WWII.
Dekker-Fokker C.I Rotary Propellers - After designing windmills, Dutchman Adriaan Dekker turned his attention to developing an efficient rotary propeller blade system for aircraft. Tests were started, but WWII prevented further development.
FIAT AS.8 Engine and CMASA CS.15 Racer - Powered by the 2,250 hp (1,678 kW) FIAT AS.8 V-16 engine, the Italian CMASA CS.15 racer was intended to set a new world speed record for aircraft, but WWII prevented the aircraft from being completed.
Fokker F.XX Zilvermeeuw Transport - The Fokker F.XX Zilvermeeuw was the last wooden aircraft and last trimotor built by Fokker. First flown in 1933, the sole example served with KLM and was then sold to the Spanish Republicans.
Ford 15P Personal Aircraft - The tailless Ford 15P was the Ford Motor Company’s last attempt to create an aircraft that would appeal to everyone—a Model T of the air.
Heinkel He 119 - The Heinkel 119 was designed by the Günter brothers and exemplified their belief in streamlining. Powered by a DB 606 engine, the pre-war aircraft did not find a niche in a reconnaissance or bomber roll.
Kirkham-Williams Seaplane Racer (1927) - The Kirkham-Williams Racer was a privately funded aircraft built to compete in the 1927 Schneider Trophy Contest. Piloted by Lt. Al Williams, developmental issues prevented the racer from competing.
Koolhoven FK.55 Fighter - The Koolhoven FK.55 was an attempt by the Dutch to create a world-class fighter. However, the prototype was not as impressive as the mockup, and the start of World War II prevented further development.
LWF Model H Owl Mail Plane / Bomber - The LWF Model H Owl was a large, trimotor aircraft intended as a mail plane, transport, or bomber. Despite being repaired after a few crashes, the Owl was scrapped in 1923, after interest in the aircraft waned.
Martin-Baker MB2 Fighter - The MB2 was the first fighter from the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company. Developed long after its specification was issued, only the prototype was built, but it did inspire additional aircraft from Martin-Baker.
Napier-Heston Racer - The Napier-Heston Racer was built to set the 3 km absolute world speed record for landplanes. The Sabre-powered aircraft was damaged during its first flight and was never repaired, as WWII altered priorities.
Navy-Wright NW-1 and NW-2 Racers - The Navy-Wright racers are unusual in that different versions of the aircraft competed in landplane and seaplane events in the early 1920s. The aircraft were fast, but their Wright T-2 engines proved to be very unreliable.
Pander S.4 Postjager Trimotor Mailplane - The Pander S.4 Postjager was an attempt to break KLM’s monopoly on air mail delivery to the Dutch East Indies. The aircraft was also entered in the MacRobertson Race, during which it was destroyed.
Piaggio P.16 Bomber - First flown in 1934, the Piaggio P.16 was a trimotor bomber intended for the Italian military. More promising alternative designs led to only one aircraft being built.
Piaggio P.23M Transport Prototype - The Piaggio P.23M was an Italian aircraft meant for transatlantic flights. The aircraft featured push-pull engines and a watertight fuselage for an emergency water landing, but it crashed in 1935 on its first flight.
Piaggio P.7 / Piaggio-Pegna Pc 7 Schneider Racer - Piaggio P.7 / Piaggio-Pegna Pc 7 was the most radical of all the aircraft built for the Schneider Trophy Contest. However, its technological challenges were not overcome, and the aircraft never flew.
Riout 102T Alérion Ornithopter - Designed by René Riout and built in 1937, the Riout 102T Alérion was one of the most advanced ornithopters ever built. But like practically all flapping-wing aircraft, it was not successful.
Savoia-Marchetti S.64 and S.64 bis - The Savoia-Marchetti S.64 was an Italian aircraft designed to set distance and endurance records. In 1928, the aircraft set a record for flying 4,763.82 miles (7,666.62 km) nonstop from Italy to Brazil.
Savoia-Marchetti S.65 Schneider Racer - The unorthodox Savoia-Marchetti S.65 was intended to win the 1929 Schneider Trophy Race for Italy. Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed and took the life of Tommaso Dal Molin.
Short S.14 Sarafand Flying Boat - Built to outperform the Dornier Do X, the Short S.14 Sarafand was powered by six 825 hp (615 kW) Rolls-Royce Buzzard engines. First flown in 1932 and proving to be easy to fly, only the prototype was built.
Short Swallow / Silver Streak - The Short Swallow (or Silver Streak) was the first all-metal aircraft built in Great Britain. Made from duralumin, an aluminum alloy, the aircraft helped prove the merits of aluminum’s use in aircraft.
Vought V-173 Flying Pancake (Zimmer’s Skimmer) - Charles Zimmerman believed a low-aspect ratio, flying wing aircraft with a discoidal planform would offer many advantages, like very short takeoffs and landings. The Vought V-173 proved him right.
Wedell-Williams Model 45 Racer - The Wedell-Williams Model 45 Racer had the potential to be a record-setting aircraft. However, the unrelated deaths of several people involved with the aircraft prevented it from being fully developed.
Williams Mercury Seaplane Racer (1929) - The Williams Mercury Racer was a privately funded aircraft slated to compete in the 1929 Schneider Trophy Contest. Due to being very overweight, the finished racer was unable to takeoff.