Photos Blast From The Past

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The Mikoyan Project 1.44/1.42 NATO reporting name: Flatpack was a technology demonstrator developed by the Mikoyan design bureau. It was the Soviet Union's answer to the U.S.'s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF), incorporating many fifth-generation jet fighter aspects such as advanced avionics, stealth technology, supermaneuverability, and supercruise. The design's development was a protracted one, characterised by repeated and lengthy postponements due to a chronic lack of funds; the MiG 1.44 made its maiden flight in February 2000, nine years behind schedule, and was cancelled later that year.
 
The Dornier Do 31 was an experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet-propelled transport designed and produced by West German aircraft manufacturer Dornier.

The development of the Do 31 was motivated principally by heavy interest expressed by the German Air Force in the acquisition of short take-off and vertical landing aircraft (STOVL)-capable aircraft. Such ambitions received a further boost from the issuing of NATO specification NBMR-4, which called for a VTOL-capable tactical support aircraft that would be operated in conjunction with the EWR VJ 101, a West German VTOL strike aircraft designed under the NATO contract of BMR-3. A total of three aircraft, two flight-capable and one static airframe, were constructed and used for testing. On 10 February 1967, the Do 31 performed its maiden flight; the first hovering flight of the type took place during July 1967.

In addition to performing test flights, Dornier often demonstrated the Do 31 prototypes to officials and the general public, such as at the 1969 Paris Air Show. Several world records were set by the type during its limited flying career. When the high cost, technical and logistical difficulties of operating such an aircraft were realized, the German Air Force opted to cease trials involving VTOL aircraft, such as the Do 31, VJ101, and the later VFW VAK 191B. In the face of limited sales prospects and a lack of state support, the Do 31 and other VTOL projects lingered as research projects for a time prior to their manufacturers abandoning all activity. The Do 31 remains the only VTOL-capable jet-powered transport aircraft to ever fly.
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The M-25 project by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. The idea was of a low altitude infantry killer - via shock wave, by flying supersonic at 90 to 120 feet above the enemy troops. Project was cancelled in 1973.
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**The images are illustrative only, the M-25 project never left the drawing board**
 
A few abandoned projects from West Germany

Amphibious combat engineer reconnaissance vehicle (1974-1979).
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Main Battle Tank 70 - a joint US-German project to replace the West German M48 and M60 tanks prior to the introduction of the Leopard 1. The project was abandoned due to ever increasing costs.
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EWR VJ 101 experimental vertical take-off and landing aircraft
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Photo by Jean-Patrick Donzey (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported )
 
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In the late 1970s, DARPA had proposed a new warship concept to the US Navy - the Strike Cruiser (CSGN). Its design was an evolution of the California and Virginia class nuclear-powered cruisers (originally classified as frigates), and was created as a response to the Soviet Kirov class cruisers.

The 17,000t ship would've been equipped with Aegis combat system, a pair of twin-arm Mk26 missile launchers (for Standard and ASROC missiles), four quad launchers for the Harpoon anti-ship missiles, eight Tomahawk land attack and anti-ship cruise missiles, and would mount the Mark 71 8-inch gun. For ASW, planned were both the hull-mounted and towed sonar systems, torpedo tubes, and a pair of LAMPS helicopters.

In 1976, the cost of a single ship was estimated at $1.37 billion and the ship was to be completed in December 1983. At that time the cost of a nuclear carrier was approximately $3 billion. A prototype was also proposed in the form of an extensively rebuilt USS Long Beach, with the same weapons and systems, at a cost of $800 million. US Congress didn't have much interest in these proposals, and instead opted out for a proposal to put Aegis on the hull of a Spruance class destroyer, which was then reclassified as a cruiser - the Ticonderoga class.

Two more proposals for a Strike Cruiser had emerged afterwards. One was to build Harrier-capable "aviation cruiser" similar to the Kirov class, and another was CGN-42, a derivative of the Virginia class CGN equipped with Aegis, but neither proposal was accepted.
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This was the Vickers Infantry Tank No.1, circa1921.
It continued with the classic and familiar rhomboidal shape of the WW1 Mk IV etc., but was somewhat shorter and squatter.
Futhermore, it dispensed with the sponson guns and instead mounted a domed turret topped off with a commander's cupola and armed with 3 x Hotchkiss heavy machine guns projecting through ball-mount barbettes.
Only two examples were manufactured for evaluation purposes.
A variety of seemingly insurmountable technical issues manifested themselves so the War Office subsequently cancelled the project.

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A slightly grainy shot, but images of this vehicle are very scarce.
It's a PzKpfw I Ausf C.
Similar in overall appearance to the "Luchs" but with a very distinctive suspension arrangement comprising of interleaved spoked and stamped / dished roadwheels.
It was designed for use by the Luftlandetruppen (Airborne troops) but was manufactured in such small numbers that it was never deployed as intended.
(IWM)

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Convair XB-46 was single example of experimental medium jet bomber developed in mid-1940s but never saw production or active duty. It competed with similar designs, North American XB-45 and Martin XB-48, all of which saw little use after successful development of Boeing XB-47.
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Supermarine Swift F1 aircraft of 56 Sqn. Royal Air Force, soon after the type entered service in early 1954. Upon its introduction, the Swift became the RAF's first swept-wing aircraft. Within six months the F1 had been replaced by the Swift F2, but neither were fit for purpose.
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