Photos show the real flying saucer funded by the US Army that never took off

Sat, 12/02/2023 - 08:36

An image of a circular aircraft with two glass domes sticking out on two sides and an exhaust fan in the middle. — The Avro Canada VZ-9AV Avrocar on display in the R&D Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees

The VZ-9AV Avrocar was an attempt to build a stealthy aircraft that could fly at high speeds.
The project was projected to cost $3.16 million in the 1950s, approximately $26 million today.
Test flights never achieved more than a small hover above the ground and the concept was scrapped.

It's not from outer space, but it sure does look like it.

In the 1950s, the Canadian Air Force wanted to create a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle that could hover below radars, intercept enemy planes, and take off at high speeds. The VZ-9AV, with its unique saucer shape, was the proposed solution.