ORIGINAL: old git
ORIGINAL: B.L.E.
In spite of all the hyperbole about the advantages of canards, flying wings, and lifting bodies, the fact that most all competition RC sailplanes are conventional wing, fusilage, and rear stabilizer designs tells a lot about just how terrible the conventional airplane is not.
I found the contentious aircraft again using google, it's the Burnelli. I wanted to be contentious but I do rather like the look of the early Burnelli, maybe the later variants could be an improvement on the modern trend. Sorry but I am having a picture download failure so I cannot show it.
I agree that many changes of aircraft design have been the result of incremental change but the jet engine and use of composites surely are a step change. As to our old clunkers, I drove a Triumph M/cycle and there were parts from 1938 models that fitted those built in the 1970s. It was the Japanese that made a step change in design. My first car was a 1934 Eustace Watkins Wolsey Hornet. The engine was the size of a 3.4 Jaguar, six cylinders with overhead cam but a swept volume of only 1200cc. It had also a separate chassis and drum brakes. These added up to an interesting and good looking clunker. Modern cars have a monocoque/integral body chasis and are full of significant improvements, not just small refinements.
I hope we have more significant improvements to come; such as the 2.3gig radio gear!
old git - - - - - - - - aka John L.
Replacing piston engines with turbines was indeed a revolutionary step in aircraft. The great turbine hope never materialized for cars. It was not just turbine lag, but also the fact that turbine thermodynamic efficiency dropped off dramatically when throttled down, and cars spend a lot of time with their engines putting out less than 15 horsepower.
Monocoque bodys are at least as old as air cooled Volkswagon beetles and fuel injection was around in the 1950's. It was not until the micro-processer was invented that fuel injection eclipsed carburettors. Old 1930's cars used four stroke piston engines with poppet valves opened by cams and closed by coil springs. They rolled on rubber tires inflated with air. They had transmissions that used gears and clutches. They had hydraulic brakes. Really, it's mostly refinement. It's hard to pinpoint the exact time period when the automobile suddenly became modern.
Even electric cars were around since the earliest days of the automobile.