Obscure planes you've flown?

[crash-proof]

Somewhat along the lines of the shorts thread.

What kind of obscure, uncommon or downright strange planes have yall flown?

I wanna hear stories from people that have flown Aravas, Seabees, Hansas, whatever. Or maybe foreign types that aren't common here in the US (like russian planes, perhaps).
This could be pretty interesting...

 

[Andy Neill]

The plane wasn't obscure but the configuration was certainly unique.

We flew a Lear 25 with a stick insterad of a yoke. In the back was a bank of computers that could alter the flight control response to emulate any kind of airplane you wanted. "This is how a Bonanza would handle and here's what F-14 controls feel like." It was a testing/training bed for flight characteristics test and evaluation.

 

[Dash8]

while not obscure, this was also an odd varient, and old (68 if memory serves, it was awhile ago) aztec with a factory 28v system, which wasn't actually available unil the mid 70's i believe, it also had flare dispensers at one point

 

[A Squared]

The most obscure airplane I've flown is the United Consultants TwinBee, a twin engine conversion of the Republic SeaBee.

 

[Typhoon1244]

I once flew a Robinson R22...that was d@mned strange.

I've seen some strange things while airport-watching in years past...how about a Piper Cherokee converted to a tail-dragger and painted like an Me 109? How about a Convair 880 with a red tail and "Christ is Lord" painted on the side? How about the DC-3 in Puerto Rico that had two Lycomings bolted onto the wings outboard of the P&W's?

 

[DIRT]

I flew in an AN124 a couple times... you could cut the cigarette smoke with a knife inside the pax compartment.

 

[crash-proof]

I once flew a Robinson R22...that was d@mned strange.

I've seen some strange things while airport-watching in years past...how about a Piper Cherokee converted to a tail-dragger and painted like an Me 109? How about a Convair 880 with a red tail and "Christ is Lord" painted on the side? How about the DC-3 in Puerto Rico that had two Lycomings bolted onto the wings outboard of the P&W's?

Odd you mention, I saw on some site a Catalina conversion with Lycomings outside of the P&Ws. They did it to increase the airflow over the wing, reducing stall speed. I think all it did was turn people's heads when it flew by!

 

[Slye]

A Carvair came into an airport near Birmingham about 5 years ago with some freight for the Mercedes plant I believe, very interesting. It's a DC-4 with a lengthened vertical tail and a huge nose that made it look like a smaller 747 with props.

http://www.aerofiles.com/carvair.html

 

[BellyFlyer]

I flew a Fouga Magister once. Not a particularly fast jet, but fun just the same!

 

[Kingairrick]

When I ws an instuctor, we had a Varga Kachina. It's like a baby T-34.

 

[crash-proof]

I once flew this Nylon covered contraption with a VW engine upfront. It was high wing tail dragger, but interesting nonetheless.

There was this wooden ultralight called the MiniMax (I think) that this dude had outfitted with a VW engine. This ultralight kinda resembled the Fokker Eindecker, pre-WWI. When I saw this thing first time, I thought it was giant Balsa rubber-band model!

 

[Frank Bama]

C-175

Our Cessna 175 has been in my family since 1966. Many people have never even heard of one. Straight-tailed, no back window, 175 hp. It has the Lycoming 180 hp with a constant speed conversion now though. It is truly one of the nicest flying airplanes that I have ever flown and am proud say that I learned to fly in it.

 

[OtterFO]

Odd airplanes: I've flown an Aeronca Lancer, Spencer Air Car and a Twin Navion.

 

[JD2003]

It's GA but anybody ever heard of a Mooney M10? Essentially its an erocoupe with a mooney tail (backwards). It has a roll back bubble canopy that can be flown open under 100 MPH. Fun little machine.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I had a chance to fly a Fairchild PT-26 a few times, and when I was in the Navy I flew in an RC-12B. This is a King Air 200 fitted out with a surface search RADAR. There were only a couple of these built and they were used at either the Viques Islands for the LANTFLT or Barking Sands for the PACFLT. The Navy used them to ensure that the ranges were clear of any shipping prior to weapons firings, missile tests, etc...

Regards,

Ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[TurboS7]

Evangel 4500 N4505L, N4502L,N4501L

 

[WrightAvia]

not to obscure...?

I have flown the 320 skyknight with the flat "tuna" tanks and was part owner of '64 Skyknight which had the regular cessna tanks.

The real peculiar part of the plane was the fact that the TSIO 470 engines were without any support from continental. No new parts.

 

[Typhoon1244]

My grandfather(-in-law) flew the P-38M Night Lightning. Only four were built...he was one of only eight guys that checked-out on it. (We vaporized Nagasaki before he got a chance to try it out for real.)

 

[414Flyer]

Re: C-175

Our Cessna 175 has been in my family since 1966. Many people have never even heard of one. Straight-tailed, no back window, 175 hp. It is truly one of the nicest flying airplanes that I have ever flown and am proud say that I learned to fly in it.

I flew a C-175 with an avcon 180 conversion. Climbed like a spotted a$$ ape. Poor mans 182. Took it into Angel Fire (MSL 8300), 4 on board. Climbed to about 13K departing out.

 

[wasted state]

I've got time in Wonder Womans Glass jet!!!