The Flying Pancake: Aviation's Most Bizarre World War II Flying Saucer

Discover the complete history of the V-173 and XF5U Flying Pancake, an experimental aircraft developed for the United States Navy during World War II. Born from the brilliant and unconventional mind of electrical engineer Charles Zimmerman, this unique flying machine challenged every known rule of 1940s aerodynamics. While working for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, Zimmerman envisioned a circular-winged aircraft with an ultra-low aspect ratio that could execute short takeoffs, ascend vertically, and even hover if required. After his initial proposals were deemed too advanced, Zimmerman partnered with Vought-Sikorsky to bring his concept to life. The result was the V-173, affectionately known as Zimmer's Skimmer. To save on costs and weight during the war, this proof-of-concept aircraft was constructed primarily from wood and canvas, weighing just over 2,200 pounds. Due to the massive 16-foot F4U Corsair propellers attached to its 23-foot frame, the aircraft had to be designed as a "tail sitter," resting at a staggering 22-degree angle on the runway. The angle was so extreme that engineers had to install glass viewing panels between the pilot's feet just so they could see the ground during landing. Following over 200 successful test flights—including one by legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh—the Navy funded the development of an all-metal, combat-ready version known as the XF5U. This 15,000-pound beast was designed to carry immense firepower, including 20-millimeter cannons and 1,000-pound bombs. However, the rapid advancement of jet engine technology rendered the propeller-driven XF5U obsolete before it could ever take flight. When the military ordered the prototypes scrapped in 1947, the dismantling crew faced an unprecedented challenge. The XF5U was built so tough that a solid iron wrecking ball dropped from 20 feet in the air simply bounced off the fuselage. Engineers had to calculate the exact weakest point of the airframe just to destroy it. Today, the original wooden V-173 stands as a miraculous survivor of early aviation experimentation, preserved for generations to marvel at. To support/join the channel ➤ https://www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes/join ➤ More aircraft and history videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes ➤ Join the channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes/join ➤ THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@dronescapesvideos ➤ FB: https://www.facebook.com/Dronescapesvideos ➤ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Atellani/ ➤ IG: https://www.instagram.com/dronescapesvideos ➤ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/dronescapes.bsky.social ➤ Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/dronescapesvideos ➤ X/Twitter: https://dronescapes.video/2p89vedj VIDEO SERIES: 🎥U.S. AIRCRAFT VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/US 🎥AVIATION VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/aviation 🎥GERMAN AIRCRAFT VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/WWIIGermany 🎥BRITISH AIRCRAFT VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/British 🎥ERIC BROWN VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/EricBrown 🎥B-29 VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/B29 🎥VIETNAM AND KOREA: https://dronescapes.video/Vietnam 🎥TURBOJET VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/Turbojet 🎥SUPERSONIC VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/fastest 🎥EXTREME AIRCRAFT VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/Extreme 🎥STRANGE PLANES VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/Extreme 🎥COLD WAR ERA VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/ColdWar 🎥 WW2 VIDEOS: https://dronescapes.video/WW2 #AviationHistory #WW2Aircraft #ExperimentalFlight