Aérospatiale Hélicostat

[Tophe]

I have used the search tool and the only "Hélicostat" was the Oehmichen hélicopter of 1924 (see http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2463.0.html )
In 1977 there was another Helicostat project, still unbuilt. Picture in "Science & Vie" magazine, N° Hors Série "Aviation 77". It's a compound airship-helicopter. I may translate the 12 lines of text from French is one is interested.

 

[Tophe]

A different layout with a single airship and several rotors is presented with the same name at

http://www.blimp-n2a.com/prFrance.htm

 

[Stingray]

http://81rocaniel.free.fr/monsiteweb/helicostat.htm

 

[Stingray]

Found this at eBay, apparently a 1977 manufacturers brochure:

 

[Stingray]

Also:
http://books.google.com/books?id=SiaejBco6NUC&pg=PA476&lpg=PA476&dq=Aerospatiale+Helicostat&source=bl&ots=Wemy05cbC1&sig=TPFcpyGuuQyDN3Y8eqHI16ywGaY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7AerT8L3EMediAKo2smyDg&ved=0CHoQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Aerospatiale%20Helicostat&f=false

 

[Stingray]

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19780010098_1978010098.pdf
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19810022643_1981022643.pdf