The Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" is an American experimental test aircraft built as part of the Vought XF5U program during World War II. Both the V-173 and the XF5U featured an unorthodox "all-wing" design consisting of a flat, somewhat disk-shaped body (like a pancake flying, hence the nickname) serving as the lifting surface. [ 1 ]

The Vought XF5U "Flying Flapjack" was an experimental U.S. Navy fighter aircraft designed by Charles H. Zimmerman for Vought during World War II. This unorthodox design consisted of a flat, somewhat disc-shaped body (resembling a flying flapjack /pancake, hence its nickname) serving as the lifting surface. [ 1 ]

In the 1940s, the Navy was looking for a fighter that could be deployed from tankers, cruisers, and other ships to counter Japanese kamikaze and submarine attacks. The strange, flat, round vehicle...

Dec 15, 2024 · Results of the wind tunnel testing led to building a prototype to test the concept, and would be designated the V-173 and took on the names “Zimmer Skimmer”, “Flying Pancake” and “Flying...

2 days ago · The world of aviation has seen its fair share of unusual aircraft designs, but few are as delightfully odd as the Vought V-173, or as it’s better known, the "Flying Pancake." With its flat, disc-like shape and oversized propellers, it looked more like something out of a science fiction comic than a serious military aircraft. But this quirky little plane was a legitimate attempt to ...

1 day ago · The Horten HX-2 continues the legacy of flying wing aircraft with modern technology and materials. You enjoy exceptional efficiency during cruise flight due to its clean aerodynamic design.

Feb 5, 2017 · Zimmerman’s aircraft were given several nicknames during their development: Zimmer’s-Skimmer, Flying Flapjack, and Flying Pancake. It is unfortunate that a radical aircraft so close to flight testing was not actually flown.

Sep 20, 2024 · Vought V-173, nicknamed “Flying Pancake,” is a peculiar aircraft that was an ambitious attempt by the U.S. Navy to create a fighter that could take off and land vertically like a helicopter. 1 This captured the imagination of the U.S. Navy and came close to …

Aug 5, 2020 · It was the Flying Pancake - a strange, yet promising experimental test aircraft built for the American Navy fighter program during World War II.

The Vought XF5U "Flying Flapjack" was an experimental U.S. Navy fighter aircraft designed by Charles H. Zimmerman for Vought during World War II. This unorthodox design consisted of a flat, somewhat disc-shaped body (resembling a flying flapjack/pancake, hence its nickname) serving as the lifting surface.[1]