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A Peek into the Very Near and Short-Lived Flying Future, 1928-9

JF Ptak Science Books    Quick Post

AIRPLANE GIANT964

This mammoth German aircraft appeared in the pages of the Illustrated London News on 31 March 1928, a sneak-peek into the future. It may have been a shock to British aviation sensibilities–it was supposed to dwarf the largest such plane that the Brits had (the Calcutta) : 158′ to 93′ wingspan; 44 tons to 9 fully loaded wright; engine power, 6000hp to 1500hp, with  twelve very impressive 500 hp fore-and-aft engines.  

The plane made an appearance in real-life in the air in July 1929 as the Dornier Do X,  the largest and heaviest flying boat in history, with pretty much the stats that appeared on it a year earlier. (Stuff happens) and the Dornier is broken up for scrap by 1937.  

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