The Bold, Bulbous Douglas Cloudster II

This unconventional 1940s twin-powerplant, pusher-propeller GA aircraft design featured a large forward fuselage, room for five, and white wall tires.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 10:14 AM ET

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With both engines buried in the aft fuselage section, the nose and cabin of the Douglas Cloudster II were voluminous. Whitewall tires added a touch of style. [Courtesy: Douglas Aircraft Company]

Key Takeaways:

In the mid-1940s, Douglas Aircraft Company explored an unconventional design concept featuring multiple powerplants, long drive shafts, and pusher propellers mounted at the aircraft's aft.
This concept was applied to various projects including the experimental XB-42 bomber, the conceptual DC-8 "Skybus" airliner, and the Cloudster II general aviation aircraft, none of which achieved success.
While the pusher configuration offered theoretical advantages such as improved visibility, quieter cabins, and centerline thrust, practical implementations faced significant engineering challenges.
Douglas's final attempt, the Cloudster II, suffered from severe vibration caused by its lengthy drive shafts and persistent engine cooling issues, ultimately leading to the abandonment of the design concept.

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For a few years in the mid-1940s, the Douglas Aircraft Company pursued a decidedly unconventional design concept.

It would entail multiple powerplants, long drive shafts, and pusher propellers mounted on the extreme aft end of an aircraft. Well-stocked from the war effort with a robust team of engineers and faced with a dwindling number of military contracts, the company tasked a team to investigate and develop the concept.