"I've Got a Secret" - Inflatable 'Inflatoplane' Airplane

[achase9998]

My dad was one of the engineers on this project. He always said it was his favorite project of all when he worked for Goodyear Aerospace and was sad to see when the project ended. Fortunately, there are aircraft aficionados who didn't forget how really special this aircraft was!

[ifiddle2]

My father was the fellow behind the stage working the air compressor. He said the two of them flipped a coin and my father lost and had to be back stage. He died in 1983 in a plane crash, believe it or not.

Where did you get this video? This is a real blast from the past.

Harold Hight

[merdehappens]

How the hell did they get from Army to "Does it fly?" so quickly?

Probably due to when it was filmed.

[pgpete]

I've got an inflatable aircraft - its called a paraglider. 

[DevilMaster]

@pgpete A paraglider can collapse with turbulence, while the inflatoplane will not collapse unless it is punctured.

[cosmiccogs]

i can make a big ass ufo out of that

[Enryakuji12]

moderate problem A: the air bladders airplane were strong insofar as they withstood heavy weight, but tests showed an unacceptable, extreme vulnerability to even a projectile as simple as an arrow. Moderate problem b: one of the cords or ties happened to snap, whipped a test pilot in the head, and hurled him out so that he was killed. Shortly the project was cancelled.

Solution: use modern materials like airbeams and the ArmorFlate® material used on military rafts from Zodiac. Upgrade motor.

[korey21fly]

i want 3!!!!!!!!!

[69NOMAN69]

i wish these things were still available