This Bizarre Plane Had a Circular Wing and Could Take off Vertically
Perhaps you think you've seen your share of unusual aircraft; however, admittedly, none can possibly take the throne of France's Coléoptère (beetle) plane with a circular wing that could take off vertically. The iconic-looking plane was unlike any aircraft in the world and had some pretty interesting engineering.
In this video titled "A Plane Without Wings," the YouTube channel explains the story of this unusual plane. Designed by Austrian engineer Helmut von Zborowski, the plane's bizarre nature was due to the fact that he wanted to eliminate the need for a runway.
In order to make that possible, he decided to add a round wing that surrounded the plane to the standard wings that jut out from the sides. Yes, it looked as bizarre as it sounds.
Its testing stages were riddled with challenges and it took nine tries for it to achieve horizontal flight for a brief moment. As you'd imagine, the program was eventually scrapped, but nonetheless, it makes for a great watch. Enjoy!