It’s been called the ugliest aircraft ever built, a flying barrel, or a man-made bumblebee. But in many ways, the Stipa-Caproni was a revolutionary plane, ahead of its time. It’s hollow, barrel-shaped fuselage with the engine and propeller completely enclosed made it more efficient than other aircraft of the era. The design promised to open a new chapter in aviation that would allow for the development of enormous airliners, decades ahead of their time. Some even claim that the Stipa-Caprinio helped inspire the modern turbofan engine. But despite the Stipa-Caproni forward thinking design, it's contribution to aviation has since been largely forgotten.