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 ]

Photographs V-162, V-173 Charles H. Zimmerman promoted his “Flying Pancake” design from 1933 to 1937 while working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) at Langley Field, Virginia.

May 26, 2022 · Fortunately, the V-173 Flying Pancake prototype was not destroyed. Sixty years later, on loan from the Smithsonian, it was lovingly restored by a team of Vought retirees. Today, you can see this incredible airplane on display at the Frontiers of …

Feb 15, 2023 · Known variously as the ‘Flying Pancake,’ ‘Flying Flapjack,’ ‘Flying Saucer,’ and ‘Zimmerman’s Skimmer,’ the V-173 was a bizarre US attempt to create a UFO-like craft that could act in the same way as a helicopter.

With massive 16.5-foot-diameter wooden propellers driven by two 80-horsepower Continental A-80 air-cooled engines, the V-173 first flew on November 23, 1942, as part of a Navy program to...

Oct 28, 2024 · What You Need to Know: The Vought V-173, or “Flying Pancake,” defied traditional aircraft design with its flat, flying-wing shape. Invented in the 1930s by Charles Zimmerman, the V-173...

Mar 15, 2016 · One of the aircrafts built was the Vought V-173 “Flying Pancake” designed by Charles H. Zimmerman. One of the features of both the V-173 and XF5U was its unorthodox “all wing” design with flat, disk-shaped bodies. Piston engines buried in the body drove propellers in leading edge at the wing tips.

Apr 2, 2023 · For Zimmerman, the “flying pancake” concept would improve aerodynamics, speed, and maneuverability when compared to a traditional aircraft. He saw the future in flying pancakes, and deeply believed in them while developing designs on this concept. And the most popular and successful one among these designs was the Vought V-173 “Flying Pancake”.

Nov 9, 2024 · In today’s article, Friedrich Seiltgen describes America’s disc-shaped airplane: the Vought V-173 Flying Pancake. Looking like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie, the V-173 originated in the 1930, with much development work being done in World War II.

V-173 The Flying Pancake Owner - Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum Background - The V-173 was built as a prototype technology demonstrator for the XF5-U1, a high speed Navy fighter developed in the 1940’s that was capable of short take-offs and landings.