I think I have discovered the full size machine the Bionic Woman jig-saw [posted the other day] is based on.
A Canadian autogyro!
The markings around the propeller guard seem to be a modified version of its Canadian civil registration, with CF-JTD-X having been changed to CE-TO-X.
I should have said that the puzzle picture I sent you was found on the internet, it is not my own photo - sorry for over looking that rather important point.
As the craft seemed to be an autogyro rather than a helicopter I tried looking them up, but it is not a subject that is well covered.
This is what I found, from the site https://alchetron.com/Avian-Gyroplane - as the material is from another site, I am not sure if you could use any of it directly, but this is really not my field, so I will leave that to you.
As the craft seemed to be an autogyro rather than a helicopter I tried looking them up, but it is not a subject that is well covered.
This is what I found, from the site https://alchetron.com/Avian-Gyroplane - as the material is from another site, I am not sure if you could use any of it directly, but this is really not my field, so I will leave that to you.
The top photo is identical to the Bionic Woman box top, even the pilot is in the same position.
Still not sure if any of this ties in with the SpaceX P3 Helicopter, but it is still interesting, as least to me!
Paul A
Still not sure if any of this ties in with the SpaceX P3 Helicopter, but it is still interesting, as least to me!
Paul A
New Zealand
Details:
The Avian 2/180 Gyroplane was a two-seat, single engine autogyro built in Canada in the 1960s. Several prototypes were built but production was not achieved.
Contents
Design
Avian Aircraft was started by Peter Payne and colleagues from the Avro Canada company specifically to build a modern autogyro.
The Gyroplane was a two-seat autogyro without wings, with a ducted fan pusher propeller driven by a 200 hp (150 kW) Lycoming IO-360 piston engine. It had a three bladed rotor, formed from bonded aluminium. There were flapping hinges but no drag hinges. In normal flight the rotor was undriven, but the design team were keen to enable vertical jump starts, an autogyro technique which spins up the rotor before take off without forward movement over the ground. The first prototype used conspicuous tip jets fed directly with compressed air from a fuselage mounted cylinder.
The fuselage was built on a light alloy box beam which carried the cabin, engine mounting, rotor pylon and propeller duct. The well glazed cabin seated two in tandem in front of the engine. Entry was via a starboard side door; dual controls were fitted. Yaw was controlled with a rudder mounted within the propeller duct, enhancing its low speed effectiveness. The Gyroplane had a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The main wheels were mounted on steel cantilever legs and the nosewheel castored.
Development
The Gyroplane prototype first flew in Spring 1960. It was later lost in a crash. The compressed air jump start system was not a success, so the second prototype used the engine, connected via a belt, clutch and gear box. This aircraft was also made lighter than the first with more use of aluminium and fibreglass, increasing cruising speed by 25%. It was followed by three pre-production aircraft. By the end of 1963 more than 300 flying hours were completed. In December 1964 Avian received a $540,000 Canadian government contract to build a modified Gyroplane that would take the type to Certification. This was achieved late in 1968.
In 1970 Avian Ltd went into receivership. Although there were later hopes of a revival, nothing came of them. In 1972 some assets of Avian, including three Gyroplanes, were put up for sale, but no purchase is recorded. However, in 2002 one surviving Gyroplane and its certification rights were sold to Pegasus Rotorcraft Ltd, who renamed it the Pegasus III.
Specifications (certification aircraft)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1970-71
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)
Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
Empty weight: 1,400 lb (635 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2,000 lb (907 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming IO-360 4-cylinder horizontally opposed, 200 hp (150 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 37 ft (11 m)
Main rotor area: 1,075 sq ft (99.9 m2)
Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell constant speed
Performance
Maximum speed: 120 mph (193 km/h; 104 kn)
Cruise speed: 105 mph (91 kn; 169 km/h)
Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,267 m)
Rate of climb: 870 ft/min (4.4 m/s) at sea level
References
Pull off the rotor mast and slap on a pair of ducted fans and you've basically got the Shadair Rotor craft featured in UFO!
ReplyDeleteGood one Looey! You'll get a job at the Moonbase workshop no problem!
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