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When I first saw this, I thought
it was just a way to ferry stricken aircraft from point to point, but
it turns out to much more amusing than that. In 1953, Dr J
A J Bennett of Hiller Helicopters had an idea to help jets to take of
and land from the decks of ships or other areas without proper
runways.
You guessed it. By having
having a helicopter lift the jet into the air for takeoffs and dock
with it in midair for landings.
How the hell this thing is
supposed to catch up with a jet above the latter's stall speed while
remaining dead level and the attach itself at four separate points on
the fuselage is left to imaginations that don't run to hideous
fireball crashes. As for takeoffs, the phrase "drops like a
brick" springs lightly to mind.
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