We talked about this a few months ago over on Aerovin's site, too. Due in part to one of my current projects, I'm gaining a new appreciation for a lot of the pre-war types. When the war broke out, the thirties-era aircraft were dismissed as "obsolete," and were relegated to the status of airframe school cadavers. A shame, really, because they were fine aircraft in their day. Among them:
Martin B10/B12: Man, this airplane was a HUGE leap forward when it first flew - a twin-engine bomber that could outrun any fighter. Despite the warty-looking nose turret, it was a good-looking aircraft.
Curtiss A-12 Shrike. Big ol' honkin' thing, looked like a Peashooter on steroids. One of the last single-engine Army bombers.
Vought Vindicator: Another great-looking aircraft, the "star" of the WB movie "Dive Bomber." I always thought it just needed a more powerful engine. Replace the Junior Twin Wasp with a full Twin Wasp and a three-bladed prop, and who knows ...
Fokker Trimotor. The Fokkers got a bad rap after the Knute Rockne crash, and almost disappeared overnight. Too bad, because they were one of the most significant aircraft of their day. The Rockne crash may have been due to improper maintenance of the wood wings. It would be relatively easy to build a replica - with the steel tube fuselage and wood wings, it would be just a "big homebuilt." For historical significance, we paint it as the "Question Mark," the AAC Fokker that made the first air-to-air refueling flight. (The crew members were a couple of obscure young officers named Spaatz and Eaker. Gee, whatever happened to
them ...

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