Fairey Aviation Co: Rotodyne: Difference between revisions
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[[image:Im19571220Aero-Rotodyne.jpg|thumb| December 1957.]] | [[image:Im19571220Aero-Rotodyne.jpg|thumb| December 1957.]] | ||
[[Image:Im1959v207-p103.jpg |thumb|1959.]] | [[Image:Im1959v207-p103.jpg |thumb|1959.]] | ||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum01.jpg|thumb|[[Helicopter Museum]], Somerset, 2018. Rotor blade with tip jet, used in ground trials]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum06.jpg|thumb|Rotor blade used in ground trials. Note manifold to connect with three air supply pipes in blade]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum08.jpg|thumb|Outboard end of rotor arm used in flight]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum07.jpg|thumb|Inboard end of rotor arm used in flight. Note roller bearings]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum13.jpg|thumb|Inboard end of rotor arm used in flight. Note chamfer at entry to large hole, which contacts....]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum15.jpg|thumb|... one of the spherically seated air connections seen between the trunnions of the hubs]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum16.jpg|thumb|A flight blade removed with a cutting torch]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum09.jpg|thumb|A tip jet. Sitting in section of fuselage]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum10.jpg|thumb|Drawing of tip jet]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum11.jpg|thumb|Rotor head pylon. Note the two curved ducts taking air from the compressor to the hub]] | |||
[[Image:JD 2018 Helicopter Museum04.jpg|thumb|]] | |||
''Note: This is a sub-section of [[Fairey Aviation Co]]. | ''Note: This is a sub-section of [[Fairey Aviation Co]]. | ||
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1962 Project abandoned for a variety of reasons, including government funding cuts. There was also the problem of excessive noise, although developments were underway to reduce this. | 1962 Project abandoned for a variety of reasons, including government funding cuts. There was also the problem of excessive noise, although developments were underway to reduce this. | ||
Only one Rotodyne was built, and it was scrapped following cancellation of the programme. Fortunately some components were saved, and these are on display at the [[Helicopter Museum]] in Somerset. The surviving items are: the | Only one Rotodyne was built, and it was scrapped following cancellation of the programme. Fortunately some components were saved, and these are on display at the [[Helicopter Museum]] in Somerset. The surviving items are: the rotor head pylon; parts of blades; section of cabin; one of the Napier Eland engines; two windtunnel models; a ground test rig blade. See photos. | ||
For comprehensive information, see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Rotodyne Wikipedia entry]. | For comprehensive information, see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Rotodyne Wikipedia entry]. | ||
Revision as of 20:55, 31 May 2018
Note: This is a sub-section of Fairey Aviation Co.
Rotodyne
A large compound gyroplane intended for commercial and military applications in the 1950s and early 1960s.
For vertical take-off and landing and transition to forward flight, the rotor blades were driven round by jets on the tips. With this arrangement there was no torque reaction, so there was no need for a tail rotor or contra-rotating blades. The jets were fed with air from the compressors by pipes passing through the blades, to be mixed with fuel (kerosene) and ignited. In normal flight the rotors were unpowered, and 'windmilled'.
Fairey had been developing the concept for the Fairey Jet Gyrodyne (first flight January 1954) and the Fairey Ultra-light Helicopter (first flight August 1955).
The Rotodyne had two Napier Eland engines, each rated at 2800 SHP. These drove controllable pitch propellors in normal flight. To drive the rotors for take-off and landing, each engine drove a compressor via a clutch (fluid coupling), and each compressor supplied air to one pair of tip jets. By using tip jets, 7000 HP was available for take-off and landing, without the weight and complexity of engine-drive rotor blades.[1]
First flew in November 1957, and subsequently widely demonstrated in Britain and Europe.
1959 Established world speed record for 'convertiplanes', at 307 km/hr (190.0 mph).
1962 Project abandoned for a variety of reasons, including government funding cuts. There was also the problem of excessive noise, although developments were underway to reduce this.
Only one Rotodyne was built, and it was scrapped following cancellation of the programme. Fortunately some components were saved, and these are on display at the Helicopter Museum in Somerset. The surviving items are: the rotor head pylon; parts of blades; section of cabin; one of the Napier Eland engines; two windtunnel models; a ground test rig blade. See photos.
For comprehensive information, see Wikipedia entry.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 'The Engineer' 15 Nov 1957, p.708