Little-known American Helicopter Prototypes & Projects

[Mark Nankivil]

Another article in this issue covered the Bendix Model K's development and this photo of the frame and drive train was interesting.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks A LOT Mark for these great images. I had most of them in smaller format, but a handful of them are new to me, and it's especially great to see the Schouw and RotaWings projects, as I remarked earlier this week in another topic that I hadn't found any depiction of them! Somehow that second of issue of American Helicopter must have escaped me.

As for the Firestone helicopters, they were the last built machines by what used to be Pitcairn. The civilian GA-45 was a variant of the Army's unsuccessful XR-9, while the GA-50 was likely the equivalent of the canceled XR-14 (which I have never seen).

 

[hesham]

Great find my dear Mark,

and by the way,many of them are mentioned here;

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26749.msg274136.html#msg274136

 

[hesham]

Also for RotaWings;

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26467.msg270509.html#msg270509

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Glad to help Skyblazer. There were only 7 issues in this bundle but the donor has a lot more material he is going to pass along in the coming months so maybe, just maybe, there will be more issues. When was the XR-14 cancelled?

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Mark Nankivil]

A few more from Skyways magazine for your perusal....

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[hesham]

Hi,

this helicopter was developed by Bernard Sznycer collaborated with Selma Gottlieb,and it
was actually built as I know,but maybe it was Type SG VI-A ?.

 

[sienar]

The Landgraf H-2 is really interesting. Pics from online sources

 

[hesham]

Landgraf H-3 :was three seat version of H-2.
Landgraf H-4 :was 5/8 passenger helicopter based on H-2.

I want to see a drawings for those two Projects ?.

 

[Stargazer]

Landgraf H-3 :was three seat version of H-2.
Landgraf H-4 :was 5/8 passenger helicopter based on H-2.

I want to see a drawings for those two Projects ?.

The H-3 was a planned three-seat derivative of the H-2, while the H-4 was to have five to eight seats. Both were cancelled because of financial problems, BUT the rights were transfered to Firth in Britain to continue research, which led to the Firth FH-1 (itself built around the recycled fuselage of the Planet Satellite).

 

[Stargazer]

this helicopter was developed by Bernard Sznycer collaborated with Selma Gottlieb,and it
was actually built as I know,but maybe it was Type SG VI-A ?.

This is sadly off-topic since we are talking about Canadian, not American, helicopters here...

Actually, two were built:
- the SG-VI-C circa 1946, which was to be marketed and produced by Canadian Helicopter Co., but was apparently little flown, due to lack of confidence in the structural integrity of airframe.
- the SG-VI-D Grey Gull [CF-FGG-X], produced in 1947 with a 178hp Franklin 6A4-165-BGF engine, a crude enclosed cabin and an open tubular tail boom (your top picture). It eventually became the SG-VI-E [CF-FGG] when re-engined with a 200hp Franklin 6A4-200-C6 engine and offered to investors for development and production. It was approved by Intercity Airlines, and used for flight testing and Type certification in 1951 — the first case in the entire British Commonwealth for a helicopter.

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Skyblazer,

and there was anther one;

SG-VI-E was a second prototype re-engined with a 200 hp (149.14 kW) Franklin 6A4-200-C6.

 

[Stargazer]

and there was anther one;

SG-VI-E was a second prototype re-engined with a 200 hp (149.14 kW) Franklin 6A4-200-C6.

You didn't read what I wrote: I mentioned the SG-VI-E in my post! It was not a second prototype, but the same one re-engined.

 

[hesham]

OK my dear,sorry for my rush.

 

[Apophenia]

This is sadly off-topic since we are talking about Canadian, not American, helicopters here...

Too true ... although the designers came from the US. Bernard Sznycer came up to Montreal from New York. Selma Gottlieb came from Philadelphia.

And, of course, once the SG-VI programme tanked, Sznycer returned to the US (Bedford, MA and Syracuse, NY) to develop the Omega BS-12 flying crane/utility helicopter. So, a Made-in-Canada project leads to a Made-in-America project

 

[Stargazer]

This is sadly off-topic since we are talking about Canadian, not American, helicopters here...

Too true ... although the designers came from the US. Bernard Sznycer came up to Montreal from New York. Selma Gottlieb came from Philadelphia.

And, of course, once the SG-VI programme tanked, Sznycer returned to the US (Bedford, MA and Syracuse, NY) to develop the Omega BS-12 flying crane/utility helicopter. So, a Made-in-Canada project leads to a Made-in-America project

You are absolutely right, Apophenia! The SG-VI was produced under what seems to have been a joint Canadian-American company: CanAmerican Inc. (the president of which was Bernard W. Sznycer), based in Philadelphia, Penn. So it DOES belong in this thread after all, hesham! ;-)

 

[Avnut]

American Sportscopter UltarSport 331 (Single Seat) and 496 (Two Seat)

This article provides a good background on models.
http://www.redbackaviation.com/american-sportscopter-ultrasport-496-helicopter-ultrasport-254-helicopter/

 

[Stargazer]

American Sportscopter UltarSport 331 (Single Seat) and 496 (Two Seat)
This article provides a good background on models.
http://www.redbackaviation.com/american-sportscopter-ultrasport-496-helicopter-ultrasport-254-helicopter/

There's a lot more to the UltraSport series than just the Models 254, 331 and 496 lightweight helicopters.
Advanced Technologies (ATI), Unmanned Rotor Systems (URS), Science Applications International (SAIC) all worked at developing UAV and OPV derivatives under the generic name Vigilante (Vigilante 331 proof-of-concept UAV, Vigilante 496-OPV, Vigilante 497 Navy/JPL sensor platform, Vigilante 500, Vigilante 502 and Vigilante Tagalong).

 

[RAP]

A few more images on the Landgraf

 

[hesham]

Hi,

did we speak about it before ?.

http://archive.aviationweek.com/search?exactphrase=true&QueryTerm=+project&start=80&rows=20&DocType=Image&Sort=&SortOrder=&startdate=1916-08-01&enddate=2018-09-03&LastViewIssueKey=&LastViewPage=

 

[hesham]

From Decollage 12/1946,

I can ID this one ?.

 

[Arjen]

Bensen B-2 gyro-glider
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TBf032SwE

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Arjen.

 

[hesham]

Landgraf H-3 :was three seat version of H-2.
Landgraf H-4 :was 5/8 passenger helicopter based on H-2.

From JAWA 1947.

 

[hesham]

From Ailes 6/1950,

here is a 3-view to American Helicopter XA-5.

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/american_top.php

 

[hesham]

A recent bundle of magazines included a number of 1946 and 1947 issues of American Helicopter magazine. The December 1946 issues had a "Helicopter Panorama of 1946" spread and the following designs were presented. I've included a couple that were actually from Canada for completeness.

As my dear Mark found this drawing to a Haig helicopter Project,also the same designer created a helicopter,
actually built and called HK-1.

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/haig_hk-1.php

 

[hesham]

From, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

Mr. Martin Jensen from; Jensen Helicopter Corporation designed and built a coaxial rotor helicopter in 1949.

http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19490228#!&pid=102

 

[Boxman]

From, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

Mr. Martin Jensen from; Jensen Helicopter Corporation designed and built a coaxial rotor helicopter in 1949.

http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19490228#!&pid=102

Interesting. This is distinguished aviator Martin Jensen (b. 1900 - d. 1992), who finished second (along with navigator Paul Schluter) in the ill-fated 1927 Dole Air Race, from Oakland, California to Honolulu, Hawaii. Here's a photo of Jensen and the aircraft named "Aloha" (a Breese-Wilde Model 5, reg. NX914; c/n 5 (ex. c/n 3)), being congratulated by Territorial Governor Wallace Farrington after successfully reaching Wheeler Field.

Photo Credit - Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOTA) - Hawaii Aviation

Heli-Archive has more on the Jensen Helicopter.
https://www.heli-archive.ch/en/helicopters/unknown-helicopters/

Jensen 21 "Silver Beetle" NX31224 (1948) - Martin Jensen, formerly vice-president and chief-engineer of the Bendix Helicopter, took with him a small group of personnel of the latter and founded his own helicopter company. Working secretly in an old ranch in Tonasket, Washington, he designed and built the Jensen 21 Silver Beetle, which was very similar to the Bendix Model K. The helicopter tested in flight by the pilot James Couperthwaite was powered by a 125 hp Continental C125 engine.

According to Aerofiles, the Lift Systems LS-3 was a subsequent development of the Jensen 21.

Lift Systems​

Lift Systems Inc. Formed by Martin Jensen and a group of Douglas engineers.
LS-3 1965 = 2pCH with coaxial rotors; 160hp Lycoming O-320; rotor: 27'0". A development of Jensen's Model 21 helicopter of 1948. [N6568C].

Here is film of the Lift Systems LS-3 (N6568C) posted to YouTube by user chasheat.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is a little known one,it was from Sun Helicopter Company;

Sign in - Google Accounts

 

[dan_inbox]

"mono-blade rotor counterbalanced with a steel weight "
What on Earth would be the point of carting around a counterweight that doesn't generate lift while still weighing as much as a 2nd blade?

 

[hesham]

From, Изаксон А. М. - Геликоптеры - 1947,

here is an American light transport helicopter unknown Project ?.

 

[hesham]

Umbaugh U-17 :tandem two seat gyrocopter with a slim low-set tailboom
and a single fin and tiny T-tailplane.

From Ailes 19/4/1958,

maybe this one was U-17 ?.

 

[hesham]

A Gyronautics Inc.project for a compound helicopter/autogyro. Powered
by a 180hp Lycoming, the rotor is tipjet driven during take-off and landing.
The downwards tilted wing acts as landing gear.
(from aero 1962)

From Ailes 18/5/1962.

 

[hesham]

From JAWA 1969.

 

[hesham]

From; Brassey's world aircraft & systems directory, 1996-97,

the Alturair Rotorair 2 was a two-seat air-pressure helicopter,without need a conventional transmission
tailrotor.

Alturair

all this about aviation, airplanes, helicopters,

all-aero.com

 

[hesham]

Mr. Martin Jensen from; Jensen Helicopter Corporation designed and built a coaxial rotor helicopter in 1949.

http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19490228#!&pid=102

From Aviation magazine 1955.

 

[Maveric]

The text is wrong...

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1965,

here is a Schentzow helicopter.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

I posted a picture of a Grumman proposal that was in the collection a while back. Well joy of joys, I just added a minty in the box Grumman Design 376 AAFSS with the original stand that will help with the lineage. Seems Kaman was involved as well. Enjoy!

Fabulous! Thanks for the pics!

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1965,

the Wigal autogiro.