American Gyro Co AG-4 Crusader

[angelreader]

Pictured alongside an C-124 Globemaster and the Raiders of the lost Ark flying wing.

[MichaelB]

Nice stuff, Barry!
Big Naxi flying wing, too.
There aren't a lot of models of that around: the recent MicroMachines diecast version; the earlier, smaller plastic MicroMachines; and the larger plastic "toy" sold at Universal in Florida.
Thanks for posting your work!
Michael

[grwebster]

THANKS FOR SHARING
GR

[MichaelB]

The Crusader is another of those "what the hell is that?" airplanes. The resemblance to the Lockheed Lightning is more than obvious. The designer of the Crusader patented the twin-boom, central passenger payload concept long before the Lightning came into existence. When he found out about the Lightning he pursued litigation but was always stymied by Lockheed and the government. When war came about he gave up on trying to receive any benefits from his design acumen and joined the "war effort".
This was much the same with the Wright Bros just before the first WW. Although they sued almost everyone they could find, and engaged in a long series of court cases - which they won!...they ceased pursuing their claims when the US approached entering WWI and the gov't convinced the US aircraft production companies to "work together".
It was a popular toy in the mid '30s.
Michael

[fliegerii]

I like the model of the flying wing from the Indiana Jones movie. It took a time for me to realise, that you mean THAT plane, as I was not able to figure out an original. The English movie name you mentioned in the title was not common to me.....

[grwebster]

Off hand I think I have three pre WWII toys of the Crusader, photos of which i will post over on the Vintage Die Cast forum shortly.

[grwebster]

Here they are
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=440