XP-55 Ascender - The Backwards Fighter

World War II brought the world some of the best aeronautical engineering designs ever created. And although many of these innovative designs definitely pushed all boundaries, several of them never made the cut.

One of these unusual designs was the Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender. This was a strange-looking plane, so much so that it appeared to have been put together backward or in the dark.

Warplanes, just like soldiers, rarely become famous for the work they do in training. But out of hundreds and hundreds of experimental warcraft built during the war, the Ascender proved to be an exception to this rule. The prototype actually served as inspiration for several models that came after it.

The Ascender was moderately successful during its testing period due to its excellent handling and stability. The plane even had an innovative safety device to disengage its rear propeller during ejection to avoid pilot injuries.

However, there were critical flaws that emerged when the Ascender flew at low speeds. The plane also had problems with engine cooling, and most of its prototypes were destroyed in inauspicious accidents. That it never entered production is probably for the best for all the pilots involved.