Helicopters WWII

[abn deuce]

One wonder what would have happened if the design had been improved quickly enough for it the have been used during WWII

A view of the first successful US Army helicopter designed by Igor Sikorsky flying past the Capitol Dome. Location: Washington, DC, US Date taken: 1943 Photographer: J. R. Eyerman

 

[Jack]

That is a fasinating image and I have always been confused as to when the first 'useable' helicopter was made.

 

Why didn't they crack this during the war???

[Stormin]

That is a fasinating image and I have always been confused as to when the first 'useable' helicopter was made.

 

Why didn't they crack this during the war???

 

If we'd sorted the jet engine out properly during the war, it would've helped. Helicopters only really became powerful and useful with the advent of jet turbine engines.

 

Those chaps who turned down Frank Whittles early ideas have a lot to answer for.

[Jack]

.

 

Those chaps who turned down Frank Whittles early ideas have a lot to answer for.

 

That is so true. Wonder what the impact would of been........

[abn deuce]

I beleive that at the time the Germans had a far more advanced helicopter design , in so much as they could fly faster and were able to carry more . but the Allies destroyed they few they had and the production facilities.

some archivel footage of the different German designs flying , The posters title has to do with the Korean war claim of first combat use.

still a must see video.

 

 

[abn deuce]

a second clip with details on each machine

 

[Stormin]

Amazing stuff.

That FI282 looks amazingly like a modern apache without the cockpit canopy. Looks highly manouvreable too.

[ArtistsRifles]

Even more amazing that the concept was never developed given that the RAF were using Cierva Autogyros to calibrate the radar system in the late Thirties!

[martylee]

Hmmmm, I didn't realize that the Germans had that many helicopters and that they actually used them as well. You learn something everyday.

 

In the youtube video there's one that does a loop!? Is that right, I thought only the Lynx did that?

 

Thanks for posting!

 

 

Marty

[abn deuce]

I dont think its a vertical loop , if you notice its being flown in a tight turn next , so I d say what you are seeing is a figure eight pattern with one turn right above the cameraman.

[fesm_ndt]

yep something new everyday.... but I guess all my training was on American equipment so Sikorsky is credited throughout as the inventor of the helicopter.

 

He also invented the helicopter seatbelt. This design revelation came about in his backyard testing a prototype which started bouncing. Sikorksky was thrown up into the rotor blades and smacked through the back fence . We used to have heaps of his old prototype films

Edited July 6, 2010 by fesm_ndt
PP spelling

[jchinuk]

The US used helicopters for casualty evacuation in Burma,

 

Hanna Reitch (sp?) the German test pilot used to fly early Germany helicopters INDOORS as a party trick in the Thirties, she also test piloted rocket fighters like the Me163 and flew in and out of Berlin during the last Soviet assault.

 

jch

[berna2vm]

I had no idea that the Third Reich had developed the rotary winged aircraft to such a degree... When I watched 'The Eagle has Landed' over 30 years ago I scoffed at the use of a helicopter. It would appear that theoretically it was possible !

[fesm_ndt]

The US used helicopters for casualty evacuation in Burma,

 

Hanna Reitch (sp?) the German test pilot used to fly early Germany helicopters INDOORS as a party trick in the Thirties, she also test piloted rocket fighters like the Me163 and flew in and out of Berlin during the last Soviet assault.

 

jch

 

Hanna Reitch , another interesting topic.... what ever happened to her? I would be on Wikipedia but am dashing off to work.

[andrewroberts.1953]

Have a look at a site called Luft46, this shows a lot of German helicopters. Many for use from Uboats, so were made to be easy to take apart etc.

[fesm_ndt]

Hanna Reitch , another interesting topic.... what ever happened to her? I would be on Wikipedia but am dashing off to work.

 

Well an interesting read and poses some interesting thoughts as appears she was a fervent and suicidial Nazi supporter but wasn't locked up or sanctioned.

 

http://greyfalcon.us/Hanna%20Reitsch.htm very interesting read

 

Then she uttered the words that for so long kept her out of the history books:

 

"Many Germans feel guilty about the war. But they don't explain the real guilt we share - that we lost."

[berna2vm]

Hanna Reitch , another interesting topic.... what ever happened to her? I would be on Wikipedia but am dashing off to work.

Hanna Reitch, Wonder Woman of the Third Reich... What a girl!!!

[schliesser92]

This example is in the helicopter museum in Bückeberg (Germany). I'm not sure if it's a restored original or a reproduction.

 

[Enigma]

Looks like a Girocopter, any more pics?

[Tony B]

The angelus in the back ground is an autogiro, or sometimes described as a kite. It has an unpowered rotor. There is one at Headcorn, the plan is to make it flyable. Apparently it needs a wind of 32 kph to fly. To be a Helicopter, the sircraft must have a powered mainrotor, be capable of vertical take of and landing, and hover.