Goodyear Inflatoplane

The Goodyear Inflatoplane was an experimental aircraft built by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company during the early 1940s. Conceived as a lightweight, low‑cost liaison and rescue vehicle, the plane’s airframe was made from reinforced rubberized fabric that could be inflated with a small air pump and deflated for compact storage. First flown in 1943, the single‑seat monoplane featured a 65‑hp Continental engine, a wingspan of 27 feet and a maximum speed of about 115 mph. Its most striking characteristic was its ability to survive crashes and hard landings; the flexible skin absorbed impact energy, allowing the aircraft to limp back to base after a belly‑landing on rough terrain or water. Only twelve prototypes were built, and a few were evaluated by the U.S. Army Air Forces for use in jungle rescue, forward‑area reconnaissance and as a potential airdropped supply platform. Although the program was cancelled after World II, the Inflatoplane demonstrated that inflatable structures could be viable in aviation, influencing later developments in air‑drop rescue pods, inflatable emergency shelters and modern UAV blimps. Its legacy endures as a bold example of wartime ingenuity and the exploration of unconventional materials in aircraft design.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company

Goodyear Inflatoplane

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Design & Classification