Any bad ideas you've had (that some engineer hasn't already)?

[Avimimus]

So, growing up we've all had various ideas (giraffe tanks, shrouded wing helicopters, wind powered airships)... some of them feasible, some feasible but unwise, some in the technically 'unpossible' category...

One of the biggest revelations for me given by this forum over the years is that almost everything I've thought of some engineer had already proposed (no matter how foolish)... In some cases they were proposed by cranks with a poor understanding of engineering or physics... but they were still semi-seriously proposed.

So here is my question for you:
- What are the weirdest ideas you've had that someone actually had already proposed?
- Did you have any bad ideas that someone else didn't some time in the past?

 

[Ronny]

_ What are the weirdest ideas I have had that someone actually had already proposed?: Solar powered aircraft, nuclear powered aircraft, self defense anti missile missile for fighter, anti submarine nuclear missile
_ Did you have any bad ideas that someone else didn't some time in the past? fighter mounted rail gun

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

What about: a Nuclear Powered Trebuchet?

 

[shin_getter]

Ideas that I haven't have time to research prior art: All ideas seems good until disproven by physics! Sadly I think there is almost no chance that I'm the first one to think of them.

1. Instead of having lift fans on the aeroplane, have blow fans on the carrier to blow the airplane into the air! Also blow fans to slow down aircraft at landing.
2. Tethered EVTOL to help lift (properly sized) airplanes for launch. (I'm sure some engineer thought about it after looking at scaneagles)
3. Submersible/Low profile ship with large wide angle EO/IR air search, linked to remote missile launchers
4. VSTOL Jet powered ballistic projectile launcher
5. Seaplane tanker: move fuel from ships into the air
6. Rocket (for power) + Multicopter (for stability) drop-pod for opposed landings
7. A vertical envelopment concept for urban warfare by using drop-pods with light UGV
8. Split crewed remote control vehicle: have a onboard/offboard crew: when vehicle lose comms the onboard crew can disengage/operate reduced operating efficiency.
9. Non-piloted crewed aircraft: let the computer/remote crew fly the airplane, the crew can do something else unless other system fails. Also enable ultra-long missions on one man aircraft.
10. Semi-automated multicopter deployed solar-battery powered unattended sensor/mine/(call artillery) complex
11. Aero-turning "diving" artillery for high velocity/steep descending artillery (or maybe just alter trajectory of smooth bored mortars)
12. Multi-jointed ultra-low profile stealth vehicle
13. Buoyancy Controlling drift mine (see google loon but in water)
14. Air to air swordfighting techniques (it works for dragon riders right?)
15. Kinetic penetrating self burying mines (via bomb/artillery deployment: some adjustment for terrain conditions)
16. Automated sensor coverage optimization system for distributed platforms, and countering system for exploiting/creating sensor gaps based on extrapolations from opponent constraints.
17. Low velocity mortar launched missile system with mechanism like 2S4 mortar but optimized for long range PGM
18. Submerged AIP refueling/battery recharge via nuclear subs...and maybe even weapons
19. Submerged dispersed "base" with sea floor sensors, defensive smart mines, float upward SAM/SSM, cabled communication networks with disposable floating nodes, and prepositioned supplies
20. "Reusable" mobile decoy with armored engine/compute block inside a large facade. Should be fairly doable with compact electric motor/battery combo

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

How about tanks with legs? Similar to the AT-ATs in Star Wars. We all know how well those ended up.

 

[uk 75]

How about tanks with legs? Similar to the AT-ATs in Star Wars. We all know how well those ended up.

You mean like in Thunderbirds "Pit of Peril"

 

[riggerrob]

I theorized noise-cancelling electronic speakers back during the 1960s. Too bad electronic circuits did not think fast enough back then.

During the early 1980s, I theorized a collapsible pilot chute with a centre kill-line.

I have invented a couple of parachute packing tools and used one of them yesterday.

Parachute harness leg pads with rolled edges.

A couple of airplane folding techniques that I have not modelled yet.