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

Another sequence from a banned Winston episode that may never be aired on GSN again.

Quoting from wikipedia - The Goodyear Inflatoplane was an experimental aircraft made by the Goodyear Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, well known for the Goodyear blimp. Although it seemed an improbable project, the finished aircraft proved to be capable of meeting its design objectives although its sponsor, the United States Army, ultimately cancelled the project when it could not find a "valid military use for an aircraft that could be brought down by a well-aimed bow and arrow."

Designed and built in only 12 weeks, the Goodyear Inflatoplane was built in 1956, with the idea that it could be used by the military as a rescue plane to be dropped in a hardened container behind enemy lines. The 44 cubic ft (1.25 cubic meter) container could also be transported by truck, jeep trailer or aircraft. The inflatable surface of this aircraft was actually a sandwich of two rubber-type materials connected by a mesh of nylon threads, forming an I-beam. When the nylon was exposed to air, it absorbed and repelled water as it stiffened, giving the aircraft its shape and rigidity. Structural integrity was retained in flight with forced air being continually circulated by the aircraft's motor.


There were at least two versions: The GA-468 was a single-seater. It took about five minutes to inflate to about 25 psi (170 kPa); at full size, it was 19 ft 7 in (6.0 m) long, with a 22 ft (6.7 m) wingspan. A pilot would then hand-start the two-stroke cycle,[2] 40 horsepower (30 kW) Nelson engine, and takeoff with a maximum load of 240 pounds (110 kg). On 20 US gallons (76 L) of fuel, the aircraft could fly 390 miles (630 km), with an endurance of 6.5 hours. Maximum speed was 72 miles per hour (116 km/h), with a cruise speed of 60 mph. Later, a 42 horsepower (31 kW) engine was used in the aircraft.

And as Betsy Palmer puts it "The ladies in the audience will be interested to know they deflate it with a common household vacuum cleaner!"

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• I've got a secret
• game show

[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

[DevilMaster]

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

[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. 

[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