Planes That Never Flew
The Age
Thursday June 15, 2006
DVD & VIDEO REVIEW: Planes that Never Flew, Siren, 240 mins, G,documentary, 2003 ***
These four 60-minute documentaries look at inventive aircraft designs that for one reason or another never took to the skies - although some of their innovation or designs are used today. The stories of a rocket fighter, supersonic transport plane, jet fighter and atomic bomber are told with a combination of archival footage and contemporary interviews. They were all designed during the second half of the 20th century, and their technologies and proposed applications reflect the consequences of World War II research and the development of Cold War fears and rivalries. The focus is on British and US companies, but they are working in the shadow of Soviet achievements. Political power plays have a significant role in each story. These four dense, informative and sometimes repetitive films are primarily for aircraft enthusiasts but they do have interesting insights into design, technology and human frailty.No DVD features.
© 2006 The Age