Along the way to creating successful military and commercial vehicles like the terrifying Terrier, Challenger tanks, and Jetstream jets, BAE Systems have also had a few... non-starters.
Back in the 1960s engineers for the companies predecessor companies were letting their imaginations run riot picturing the future.
Only they appear to have been taking a little too much inspiration from the Thunderbirds.
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A hypersonic space-plane capable of travelling at five times the speed of sound, a jeep that leapt over enemy blockades, and a commercial aircraft able to take off and land vertically in densely populated cities are among those pictured in newly unearthed concept sketches.
Howard Mason, Heritage Manager at BAE Systems said “Although 50 years have passed since these extraordinary designs were first put to paper, we can see how some of the technologies and ideas were developed over time and put to use now in aircraft like the F35 Joint Strike Fighter.
"Aircraft and vehicle engineering involves producing and analysing literally thousands of iterations and whilst today the process is speeded up through the use of computer modelling, it’s fascinating to look through our archives and see what engineers were working on at that time."
The images have been released to coincide with the opening of a new centre in Warton, Lancashire, to celebrate the history of the company.