The fate of modern combat aviation could have been very different, with wild Tandem-wing seaborne aircraft that resemble dragonflies taking the place of the sleek, streamlined, and low-wing monoplane configurations we are accustomed to.
Aircraft design almost steered in that direction when naval aeronautical engineers faced a seemingly insurmountable problem: how to make seaborne warplanes land safely and reliably on aircraft carriers when their downward view was almost entirely obstructed by the engines and the wings.
Even so, designer George Herbert Miles had a crazy idea that might just have worked. It consisted of pushing the main wings to the rear and mounting another set of smaller wings in the front, above the cockpit, clearing the view for pilots to land safely even on the narrowest flight decks.
This idea produced one of the most bizarre yet fascinating aircraft prototypes, the Miles M.35 Libellula, an incredible warplane that almost became the blueprint for carrier-based combat warplanes of the 20th century…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.