Borgward-Focke Helicopter Projects

[kiradog]

Does anyone have any information on the Atlas, Urubu and Herkules heavy lift projects attributed to Henrich Focke?

Were these wartime studies or after war studies/

 

[fightingirish]

Past WW2, 1956 onwards

 

[Maveric]

THanks for posting kiradog, do you have any technical data...

 

[hesham]

Hi,


http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/ACD-allNAILS%20bis%201936.pdf

 

[Stargazer]

Again, I've had these for a while but did not share them because I found it impossible to tell which was the Herkules, the Atlas or the Uruburu.

I still think that sharing the pics with all the scribbling attached is a bit disrespectful to other forum members. The purpose of this forum shouldn't be to repost everything we find as it is but to properly use the material we find in the proper context. Think of the Spangenberg Index for instance: it wouldn't have been of such good use if Mark hadn't told us where it came from and what his purpose was. The fact that I created a Excel/PDF index for it certainly helped to, but was made possible because we had the proper elements at our disposal.

 

[Jemiba]

The reason, why this file was created still is unknown, the description aren't really clear and the quality leaves a lot to be
desired. What's amazing is the amount and, as I tried to point out, the type of the website perse. I would have never
searched for aviation projects there, rather for abstract painting or dance theater (not to depreciate both). I'll contact the
site owner to get further information (everybody else is welcomed to have a try, too) about the origins and reasons, but the one
who made it, probably had a certain intention. If it is just posted there just as a test with handling such a file, I cannot say, but
here I think, pointing to it was ok, too many sources, or hints to them, got lost over the years.
So, with an old say: Never look a gift horse in the mouth .... just check, if it's usable as race horse, plow horse ... or at least
for lasagne !

 

[thebig C]

Here are a couple of links dealing with the Borgward-Focke Kolibri 3 seat Helicopter project:
http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/entry/start_ausser_kontrolle/3926/focke_borgward_kolibri_i.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borgward_Kolibri

C

 

[hesham]

Here are a couple of links dealing with the Borgward-Focke Kolibri 3 seat Helicopter project:
http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/entry/start_ausser_kontrolle/3926/focke_borgward_kolibri_i.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borgward_Kolibri

C

The Picture.

 

[Stargazer]

Twelve years after the Second World War, automobile manufacturer F.W. Borgward dared to become the first entrepreneur in Germany to once again start developing a helicopter. He entrusted the experienced Bremen pioneer Professor Henrich Focke with this task in 1957. Focke started with his 25-member team of specialists who quickly drafted the first design drawings on the drawing boards of the Bremen Borgward factory buildings. There also the production of two prototypes called "Kolibri I" and "Kolibri II" took place. The official first flight of the as-yet uncovered "Kolibri I", registered D-HEDI, took place on 1 July 1958* and was enthusiastically received by the press.
In parallel with the "small" Kolibris, Focke and his small team dealt with the development of huge multi-rotor helicopters. A total of eight types with strong names like "Hercules" and "Atlas" were designed and studied. But then everything changed suddenly.
Despite promising flight tests and the planned imminent approval by the Federal Aviation Authority, the expensive 4.3 million Deutschmark Kolibri project had to be halted because of the insolvency and subsequent liquidation of the Borgward Group. The last flight of the Kolibri I with Ewald Rohlfs at the controls took place on 7 March 1961. Only a few exhibits could be saved for display at the Bückeburg Helicopter Museum: the main frame with the gearbox, the rotor mast and the rotor head, the controllable three blades with plywood planking, and the double tail rotor, which was steered manually through the framework.
The helicopter has now been made historically and technically visible through the two model reconstructions proposed by the museum for visitors. The models were built by Dieter Störig an outstanding modeler who always brings meticulous detail to bring the rotorcraft to life. The models are not made by to be commercially available; they are unique and allow an impressive view into the helicopter's story.

Adapted from Schaumburger Wochenblatt, Issue No. 33B from Saturday 17 August 2013
*other sources give the date as 9 July 1958.

 

[hesham]

Great find Stargazer.

 

[Stargazer]

Great find Stargazer.

Thanks hesham. I was hoping to find more about the Atlas and Herkules projects on the web, but I didn't.

I'm sure one of our German members could contact the helicopter museum at Bückeburg and maybe ask to view their archives... (hint hint)

 

[Jemiba]

Well, I think, I'll have one more try, the first one about the files we were discussing in May
is still yet without an answer. But such museums are notoriously short on staff and resources
and generally swamped by questions of all kinds, so theres nor reason to blame them.
About viewing the archive there, I think we have someone here, who could give a clue, as he
already done so in the past. But AFAIK, that's something, that has become more difficult nowadays.
Two hi-res photos of the Borgward helis there can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffenkahl/8150383966/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffenkahl/8150355641/in/photostream/

 

[hesham]

By the way,


there was Atlas I and II.

 

[Stargazer]

By the way, there was Atlas I and II.

Source? Are you not confusing these with something else?

 

[hesham]

Does anyone have any information on the Atlas, Urubu and Herkules heavy lift projects attributed to Henrich Focke?

Were these wartime studies or after war studies/

That's the source Stargazer.

 

[Stargazer]

Oh, okay hesham, sorry about that; I had that picture but hadn't noticed the "Atlas I" and "Atlas II" captions before. Good eye!

 

[fightingirish]

At the German Helicopter Museum at Bueckeburg, there are information panels showing the three heavy-lift helicopter projects Borgward Focke Urubu, Atlas and Herkules. B)
The pictures were taken by myself on August 13th, 2018.
Sorry for the poor quality. I think, I forgot to take a picture showing a 3-view of the Atlas and also better pictures showing the Urubu I and II.
I nearly got caught by the museum staff.
Unfortunately there were on that Monday no staff in their archives to gain more information or other pictures.
Dear kiradog and hesham, you're welcome.
Source: Hubschraubermuseum Bueckeburg, Lower Saxony, Germany

 

[fightingirish]

Hi,
http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/ACD-allNAILS%20bis%201936.pdf

Found via google picture search.
Source: https://helikopterhysteriezwo.blogspot.com/2014/06/nachtrag-145200614-weitere-borgward.html

 

[Jemiba]

Phantastic ! Many thanks !
Using that artist impression of the Herkules 1020 (shown, too, in Peter Kurze "Prototypen und Kleinserien-Fahrzeuge der Borgward-, Goliath und Lloyd-Werke", a book highly recommended especially to fans of cars of the German postwar era) I tried to make a 3-view.
Well, I made several errors, especially annoying with hindsight is, that I was sure, that it has a circular fuselage cross section.
To learn something new every day .... sorry for any inconvenience ! :-\

 

[hesham]

I am in a nice dream,thank you my dears Rolf and Jemiba.

 

[foiling]

Outstanding artwork Jemiba.

 

[hesham]

As I know,there was a 40 passenger large helicopter,maybe had single main rotor ?,can anyone
confirm on this,I don't remember the source ?.

 

[fightingirish]

Found at Pinterest.
The original source is the German magazine Flugzeug extra February 2007.
[Edit: Attachments delated, because Hesham posted them in a better quality. B) ]

 

[hesham]

Amazing find my dear Rolf.

 

[richard B]

[size=18pt]The last design of Focke : FOCKE-HARTZ FoHa-1

After 1965 , when his collaboration with Borgward ended , Focke designed a small experimental helicopter . It was to be built by Fritz Hartz in Laupheim .(Hartz worked with Focke at the Fa 61 , Fa 223 , Fa 330 . It was not completed .

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/8971671

http://www.flugzeug-bild.de/bild/Hubschrauber~Sonstiges~Sonstiges/76483/focke-hartz-foha-1-in-der-flugausstellung.html

https://www.planespotters.net/photo/882335/01-private-focke-hartz-fo-ha-1

 

[hesham]

Found at Pinterest.
The original source is the German magazine Flugzeug extra February 2007.

A clear views.