Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The private jets flown by Cirrus Aviation are modern marvels in their own right, but the U.S. military has come up with more than a few unusual and bizarre examples of interesting aircraft over the years.

Ever hear of the Flying Flapjack?

It was tested by the Chance Vought company back in 1942, following a request from the U.S. Navy during World War II to produce a plane capable of fending off Japanese kamikazes.

It resembled an enormous manta ray that had crawled out of the sea or a flapjack (hence the nickname) with huge wooden propellers and stubby wings. The odd design by aerodynamicist Charles Zimmerman provided maneuverability and speed while enabling the plane to slowly lift off almost vertically from a ship such as an aircraft carrier.

To save weight, the Vought V-173 was made of wood and canvas. The materials may seem flimsy but the plane was sturdy enough to survive an emergency landing on a beach. However, the pilot was trying to avoid swimmers and locked the brakes upon landing, causing the aircraft to flip on its back. Fortunately, the pilot wasn’t seriously hurt and the plane escaped major damage.

Although Zimmerman’s design worked and nearly 200 test flights were conducted, including some by Charles Lindbergh, the V-173 never made it into combat or even general use. The last flight of this unusual aircraft took place on March 31, 1947.

But the plane was not entirely forgotten. Members of the Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation finished restoring the V-173 in 2012 and the “Flying Flapjack” is now on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. Call (702)-472-9714 to book your private jet charter.