Even the test pilot who flies it admits it looks crazy. But the huge flexible wing with a pusher engine slung underneath it is a brand-new kind of aircraft which is remarkably flyable and efficient. The nylon wing provides more lift for its weight than conventional air-plane wings or helicopters. Tried out in wind tunnels, it performed well at simulated altitudes up to 200,000 feet. The Ryan Aeronautical Company is testing the wing for U.S. agencies. NASA has a dramatic use in mind: lash the wing to a big missile or capsule so it could pop out in space and glide the capsule back to earth. The Army is interested in using it to drop heavy loads of supplies on a battlefield.
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images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection
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