Convertawings in Flight

Specifications:
Rotor Diameter: 19'4"
Length: 26'
Engines: Two 90 hp Continental
Top Speed: 80 mph
Weight: 2200 lbs

Amityville, 1956

This unique helicopter was intended to be the prototype for a line of much larger civil and military quadrotor helicopters. The design featured two engines driving four rotors with wings added for additional lift in forward flight. No tailrotor was needed and control was obtained by varying the thrust between rotors. Flown successfully many times in the mid 1950's, this helicopter proved the quadrotor design and it was also the first four-rotor helicopter to demonstrate successful forward flight. Due to a lack of orders for commercial or military versions however, the project was terminated.