USA Little Known Helicopters during 1930s & WWII

[hesham]

Hi,

during 1943 up to 1945,a 26 designs of helicopter had been done in USA for a light
or personal copters,there was many unknown companies and their products,some
of them were still a Projects only,if someone can help to find a part of them ?.

I avoid the well known companies except one,and the lesser one is; Mainline Trailer Coach Co.,Tiedje Machine Shop,Rotoplane Corp.,Arthur C. Schouw,Twin Coach Co. and Roteron X-100,the later concept was actually built.

Only one company was famous,the Timm Aircraft Corp,and so weird that made a helicopter ?,and for Adel Precision Products Corp.,we discussed it here;

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26435.msg270200.html#msg270200

Stingray's Rotorcraft Forum

Discussion forum about helicopters and other rotorcraft - a part of the world's largest rotorcraft archive, "Stingray's List of Rotorcraft"

126840.activeboard.com

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19431011/5/2

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19440925/16/2

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19460506/11/2

 

[hesham]

And;

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19431011/6/2

 

[hesham]

The end;

 

[hesham]

Hi,

also here is a J. S. Pecker helicopter project drawing of 1944,from USA,Page 40;

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

 

[hesham]

also here is a J. S. Pecker helicopter project drawing of 1944,from USA,Page 40;

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

I change the title of anther topic,I thought it was a hypothetical designs,but it was not,it
was from Joseph S. Pecker,chairman of board for RotaWings Inc. firm,and those helicopter
projects were from his creation.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26467.msg270509.html#msg270509
http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19431201/59/2

 

[hesham]

Hi,

a strange helicopter designed by Mr. Robert W. Huzzard,of Wilmington Ohio USA.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/these-are-the-planes-youll-fly-after-the-war/9/#mmGal

 

[Stargazer]

The TCAH-1 Twin Coach was designed by Jessie Earvin "Jess" Dixon, the same guy who built and (allegedly) flew the "Flying Ginny" roadable helicopter in 1936. (see the topic about him here: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,16514.0)

It was a tandem two-place twin-rotor with superimposed coaxial rotors, designed by Dixon and built by Twin Coach Co., Kent, Ohio. That company built " Super-Freighter truck" convertible buses for the military and later built HUP fuselages for Piasecki. The TCAH-1 was developed from 1943 and apparently test-flown in the late 1940s.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate an image of the Twin Coach yet.

 

[hesham]

Many thanks to you my dear Skyblazer.

 

[hesham]

Also Mr. Wilcox of 1944;

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

 

[Stargazer]

About the Schouw H-100:

New ’Copter Design Tested at Detroit
from Aviation Week, 5 June 1946

The second helicopter design to be announced in this area in recent weeks is the new H-100, an aircraft distinguished by counter-rotating rotors and pusher propeller arrangement, developed by Arthur C. Schouw, local aeronautical research engineer and member of the Detroit Engineering Society.

The new helicopter is said to resemble a Focke-Wulf machine flown successfully in Berlin in 1937. The German ship was aloft one hour and 20 minutes and climbed to 11,000 feet.

► Pusher Type — The Detroit designer pointed out that the Nazi craft had a tractor propeller, however, whereas the H-100 is a pusher type and superior' in performance.

"The Germans were close to the right answer,” he said, “but wind tunnel tests show that unstable conditions result from placing the prop in front. The slipstream of the propeller is thus forced into the downward slipstream of the main rotors, causing turbulence. With the prop located in the rear, this doesn’t occur.”

► Built Wind Tunnel — A wind tunnel has been constructed by Schouw. Of his own design, it is unique in that a flow of air can be exerted on the test craft from any direction.

A two-passenger side-by-side craft, the H-100 has a height of 8 feet 6 inches, is 12 feet 8 inches in length, and, with both rotor blades extended, has a width of 24 feet. Rotor blades are 10 feet long and fabric-covered. In addition to the two passengers, the craft will carry 70 pounds of baggage. Instruments are conventional, and there are lights and parking brakes. Of all-metal construction, the ship is streamlined and capable of dual-control operation.

► New Type Blades — Entirely new rotor blades have been developed for this 'copter, Schouw explains. He says he believes they will “revolutionize” helicopter development, since, on conventional types, controls have been too sensitive.

The H-100 is powered by a four-cylinder 105 h.p. Continental engine. This, Schouw says, will enable it to reach 10,000 feet and cruise at 95 mph, with top speed of 110.

► Tests Made — Schouw, who was formerly with the Curtiss and Stinson firms, and who has been a licensed pilot for 10 years, says experimental tests have been “extremely successful” to the extent that plans are being made to manufacture the craft in this area at an estimated cost of $2,800. He will publish a book on helicopter aerodynamics soon. He will be chief engineer for the, as yet, unnamed firm.

At first I thought that the H-100 designation indicated this could be the same as the HECC (Gazda) H-100, but the configuration described, as well as the inventor's name and geographic location, are all different, suggesting that this was another machine altogether. A 1946 article stated that Schouw had "a patent pending for a pusher type helicopter," but it doesn't seem to have been granted, and all attempts to locate any type of image of the H-100 have been unsuccessful.

 

[hesham]

Many thanks my dear Skyblazer.

 

[hesham]

Maybe we can consider this one was a real design;

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26435.msg270200.html#msg270200

 

[hesham]

In, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

they mentioned that in WWII,Mr. Robert Bowker designed a convertaplane,but no more details are known ?.

 

[hesham]

In, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

there is a strange Info about Bellanca & Am (Aeromarine Industry) Inc.,for designed a convertiplane Project during WWII ?.

 

[hesham]

From, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

a well known company,Commonwealth Aircraft Co.,which developed Skyranger and Trimmer aircraft,also designed a helicopter Project during WWII ?.

 

[hesham]

From, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

the Beaver Cabinet Works designed a helicopter in 1944,created by Mr. Ralph Chapman.

 

[Orionblamblam]

the Beaver Cabinet Works designed a helicopter in 1944

My life will be an empty shell of sadness and loss until I see what kind of helicopter we could have had from the Beaver Cabinet Works.

And then the IKEA SST...

 

[drejr]

Ralph Chapman was a successful engineer specializing in machinery and processes to create wood composites.

I strongly suspect the helicopter was built to demonstrate the utility of his hardboards, like the Chapman House in Corvallis.

 

[Foo Fighter]

An IKEA SST, interesting. On arrival at the departure lounge the passenger will insert tab A into slot 1...............

 

[hesham]

the Beaver Cabinet Works designed a helicopter in 1944

My life will be an empty shell of sadness and loss until I see what kind of helicopter we could have had from the Beaver Cabinet Works.

And then the IKEA SST...

Ralph Chapman was a successful engineer specializing in machinery and processes to create wood composites.

I strongly suspect the helicopter was built to demonstrate the utility of his hardboards, like the Chapman House in Corvallis.

Excuse me my dear Scott,but as you see in this picture,who was prepared it,

for the member Devarts,this file was attended for Wright Air Development Center,so every word in it
was right.

 

[drejr]

Obviously not every word is right - Corvallis is spelled wrong.

Anyway I wasn't contradicting the report, just noting that Ralph Chapman was an inventor and industrialist rather than a simple cabinetmaker.

 

[hesham]

That was not true,

the University of Michigan respond about this report.

 

[drejr]

What's not true? I'm giving you information about Ralph Chapman. Beaver Cabinet Works was one of his business ventures.

 

[hesham]

What's not true? I'm giving you information about Ralph Chapman. Beaver Cabinet Works was one of his business ventures.

Please understand what I said,the Info in this report was right 100 %,I don't spoke about specific designer or company.

Here is from the same designer which created a VTOL Project in 1923,Mr. Russel Halligan had a concept for a propeller driven rotor helicopter during WWII.

Russel Halligan VTOL Airplane of 1923

Hi, Mr. Russel Halligan designed a new concept for VTOL airplane in 1923,I don't know if it was actually built or not,and from Aerofiles; 1923 = 1pOH; 30hp Johnson outboard motor. Two rotating Piper Cub-size wing panels driven by propellers set at the leading edge about two-thirds of the way...

www.secretprojects.co.uk

ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14

 

[drejr]

I think you're misunderstanding. I have researched this helicopter myself, and I've found a great deal of information about the inventor. None of this contradicts your report, except the obvious typo, and it's led me to people who may know more about the aircraft. "That was not true," etc, seems to me to be quite rude and dismissive.

Any information about these very obscure aircraft is likely preserved by local historical societies and museums. For example, we're lucky the Beardstown historical society's newsletter is available online. This issue contains extensive information and photos of the Halligan machine:

http://www.lincolninbeardstown.org/news/fourthqrtr13.pdf

 

[drejr]

The Benton County Museum was kind enough to provide me with the following information about the Chapman helicopter:

"We mentioned it in a 2016 exhibition called "Up, Up and Away". Here is the label copy: Ralph Chapman's Helicopters 1939-1942 After watching a 1938 newsreel showing a flight of a Focke-Wulf helicopter, Corvallis inventor Ralph Chapman thought he could build a smaller, more efficient machine. In the book Balloons to Blue Angels, Jerry Davis tells how Chapman experimented with different models until World War II restrictions halted his test flights. In 1946, his latest model (pictured on page 76) successfully lifted off the ground. Severe vibrations made it impractical for ordinary use and Chapman stopped work on helicopters and turned to other projects. However, later Hughes Helicopter featured Chapman's idea of directional control by means of air flowing through vanes at the rear of the helicopter. "

 

[hesham]

Thank you Devarts,

and I want to explain that,those report had a enough reliability to submit to Wright Air Development Center.

 

[hesham]

From, ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT HANDBOOKS AND HISTORY VOLUME 14,

some helicopter designers;

1- Amiel Bratschie
2- Lewis D. Burch
3- Cook Engineering
4- Hamilton Aero Ltd.
5- Longrie Helicopter Company
6- Morrow Aircraft
7- W. F. Ogburn
8- Teicher Hunt Helicopters
9- Paul West

 

[Platt-LePage Aircraft]

This issue contains extensive information and photos of the Halligan machine:

http://www.lincolninbeardstown.org/news/fourthqrtr13.pdf

I believe Frank Gregory (with some amusement) recounts both his, and the Air Corps side of the visit with the Halligan brothers, without mentioning their name in "Anything A Horse Can Do".

 

[hesham]

The end;

Here is the a helicopter Project,designed by Twin Coach Co. during WWII.

Изаксон А. М. - Геликоптеры - 1947

 

[hesham]

From Изаксон А. М. - Геликоптеры - 1947,

and from Aviationweek archive,the West Coast Air Service inc. submitted a 7 proposals to USA competition for helicopters,here is one of them.

Aviation Week | Aviation Week Search results for: west coast helicopter

Search the complete Aviation Week archive. Explore every issue we have ever published: find every article, photo, story, interview, pictorial, advertisement, and more.

archive.aviationweek.com

 

[drejr]

the Beaver Cabinet Works designed a helicopter in 1944

My life will be an empty shell of sadness and loss until I see what kind of helicopter we could have had from the Beaver Cabinet Works.

And then the IKEA SST...

Courtesy of the Oregon Aviation Historical Society.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

What was this Curtiss-Wright helicopter of 1945 ?,please note the date ?.

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

 

[Apophenia]

As it says but with an 's' too many This is the Curtis Wright CW-2 Flymobile.

 

[hesham]

Hi ,

here is a helicopter Project,developed by Mr. J. W. MacFarland.

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

 

[Apophenia]

Your image illustrates US Patent 2,437,700 filed by Jay William MacFarland, Jr and the US Navy on 21 May 1945 and accepted on 16 March 1948. The arms in between the two co-axial rotor discs have "reaction" motors mounted at their extremes (although MacFarland says "at least one reaction motor unit" so it seems he was considering the possibility of asymmetry).

 

[riggerrob]

About the Schouw H-100:

New ’Copter Design Tested at Detroit
from Aviation Week, 5 June 1946

The second helicopter design to be announced in this area in recent weeks is the new H-100, an aircraft distinguished by counter-rotating rotors and pusher propeller arrangement, developed by Arthur C. Schouw, local aeronautical research engineer and member of the Detroit Engineering Society.

The new helicopter is said to resemble a Focke-Wulf machine flown successfully in Berlin in 1937. The German ship was aloft one hour and 20 minutes and climbed to 11,000 feet.

► Pusher Type — The Detroit designer pointed out that the Nazi craft had a tractor propeller, however, whereas the H-100 is a pusher type and superior' in performance.

"The Germans were close to the right answer,” he said, “but wind tunnel tests show that unstable conditions result from placing the prop in front. The slipstream of the propeller is thus forced into the downward slipstream of the main rotors, causing turbulence. With the prop located in the rear, this doesn’t occur.”

► Built Wind Tunnel — A wind tunnel has been constructed by Schouw. Of his own design, it is unique in that a flow of air can be exerted on the test craft from any direction.

A two-passenger side-by-side craft, the H-100 has a height of 8 feet 6 inches, is 12 feet 8 inches in length, and, with both rotor blades extended, has a width of 24 feet. Rotor blades are 10 feet long and fabric-covered. In addition to the two passengers, the craft will carry 70 pounds of baggage. Instruments are conventional, and there are lights and parking brakes. Of all-metal construction, the ship is streamlined and capable of dual-control operation.

► New Type Blades — Entirely new rotor blades have been developed for this 'copter, Schouw explains. He says he believes they will “revolutionize” helicopter development, since, on conventional types, controls have been too sensitive.

The H-100 is powered by a four-cylinder 105 h.p. Continental engine. This, Schouw says, will enable it to reach 10,000 feet and cruise at 95 mph, with top speed of 110.

► Tests Made — Schouw, who was formerly with the Curtiss and Stinson firms, and who has been a licensed pilot for 10 years, says experimental tests have been “extremely successful” to the extent that plans are being made to manufacture the craft in this area at an estimated cost of $2,800. He will publish a book on helicopter aerodynamics soon. He will be chief engineer for the, as yet, unnamed firm.

At first I thought that the H-100 designation indicated this could be the same as the HECC (Gazda) H-100, but the configuration described, as well as the inventor's name and geographic location, are all different, suggesting that this was another machine altogether. A 1946 article stated that Schouw had "a patent pending for a pusher type helicopter," but it doesn't seem to have been granted, and all attempts to locate any type of image of the H-100 have been unsuccessful.

My impression was that the the German helicopter’s small diameter propeller was only a cooling fan for the engine.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

what was this helicopter Project,which designed by R. W. Jenny ?.

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is a helicopter Project,from Mr. A. Sbrilli,and a patent for the same concept.

http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/hubtest/medien/Typenkartei3953xGUN7x9T3Z7.pdf

 

[hesham]

From American Aviation 1945,

the Tiedje helicopter project.