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The Rise and Fall of the Cylindrical Wing VTOL Tail-Sitter

In the 1950s, aircraft designers developed a unique “tail-sitter” aircraft configuration. These used engine power alone to lift off the ground before transitioning to horizontal flight. In the early 1950s French aerospace firm SNECMA (Société nationale d'études et de construction de moteurs d'aviation) began developing wingless test vehicles, including the C.450 Coléoptère. A major expected benefit of these prototypes was not having to rely on an airport to take off and land. Moreover, the unconventional...

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