The Leduc Ramjet

Rene Leduc was a French aircraft engineer who built the first ramjet powered aircraft that ever flew. It flew on October 21st 1949. The fact that a ramjet needs air running through it to operate meant that it could not take off from a still position. That said, it was meant to be dropped in mid air from a larger host aircraft. It worked. Only three were built and the testing helped develop missiles powered by ramjets.

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