Goodyear Inflatoplane
Goodyear · United States · first flew 1956 · light aircraft
The Goodyear Inflatoplane was an experimental American inflatable aircraft of the mid-1950s, built from rubberised fabric and capable of being packed into a small container and inflated in minutes for emergency rescue use.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Round inflated fuselage and wing surfaces |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Entirely inflatable rubber aircraft that packs into a small bag
- Round inflated fuselage and wing surfaces
- Designed for behind-enemy-lines pilot rescue
Unique round-section inflated fuselage and wing surfaces with no rigid structure visible externally; the rubber-and-fabric appearance is unmistakable.
Specifications
- The Goodyear Inflatoplane has a length of 6 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.71 m (22 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 116 km/h (72 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Goodyear developed the Inflatoplane under US Army contract as a concept for rescuing downed pilots behind enemy lines; the idea was to drop a packed aircraft to a stranded pilot who could then inflate and fly it out. It first flew in 1956 and underwent extensive testing.
Variants
Single-seat and two-seat versions were built; the GA-468 and GA-447 were primary designations for the different configurations.
Where you'll see it
The US Army ultimately cancelled the project in 1973, concluding that the inflatable aircraft was too vulnerable to small-arms fire to be practical.
Related aircraft
- Goodyear F2G Corsair
- Goodyear FG-1D Corsair
- Beechcraft Travel Air
- Boisavia B.260 Anjou
- Cessna 182 Skylane
- Cessna 620
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