Hafner Rotabuggy
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Hafner Rotabuggy | image=Rotabuggy.jpg | caption=The rotabuggy in flight }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=military rotor kite | national origin=UK | manufacturer= R Malcolm Ltd | designer=Raoul Hafner | first flight=1943 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced=1 | number built= | program cost= | unit cost= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Hafner Rotabuggy (formally known as the Malcolm Rotaplane{{cite book | url=http://www.groenbros.com/history.php | title=Autogiro to Gyroplane: 1923–2003 | first=Bruce | last=Charnov | publisher=Hofstra University (as posted on the Groen Brothers Aviation web site) | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122142634/http://www.groenbros.com/history.php | archivedate=22 November 2011}} and as the "M.L. 10/42 Flying Jeep"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1954/1954%20-%203232.html Flight 1954 p821]) was a British experimental aircraft that was essentially a Willys MB combined with a rotor kite, developed with the intention of producing a way of air-dropping off-road vehicles.
Design and development
It was designed by Raoul Hafner of the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment (AFEE) after their development of the Rotachute enjoyed some success.
The prototype was built by the R. Malcolm & Co. Ltdlater ML Aviation (also producer of the Malcolm hood) at White Waltham in 1942. Air Ministry specification 10/42 for a "Special Rotating Wing Glider" was used to identify the project.Meekcoms/Morgan 1994, p. 306
Initial testing showed that a Willys MB could be dropped from heights up to {{convert|2.35|m|ft|1}} without damage to the vehicle. A {{convert|12.4|m|ftin|1}} diameter rotor was attached, along with a tail fairing and fins, but no rudders. Two men were required to pilot the aircraft: one to drive it as an automobile, and one to pilot it in the air using a control column. Initially it was named the "Blitz Buggy", but that was soon dropped for the "Rotabuggy"."Rotachute, Rotabuggy and Rotatank" Flying Review International Vol.19 No. 3 December 1963, Purnell & Sons Ltd page 45
The first trial was conducted on 16 November 1943, with the unit being towed behind a Diamond T lorry, but the lorry could not get enough speed to put the Rotabuggy in the air.Zaloga p37-38 A more powerful vehicle, a supercharged 4.5-litre Bentley automobile, was used on 27 November to finally allow the machine to become airborne and in test could obtain glide speeds of 45 mph. Later tests were made towed behind an Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley bomber."Rotachute, Rotabuggy and Rotatank" Flying Review International Vol.19 No. 3 December 1963, Purnell & Sons Ltd page 46
File:Museum of Army Flying, Middle Wallop (9485471101).jpg, 2013]]
Although initial tests showed that the Rotabuggy was prone to severe vibration at speeds greater than {{convert|45|mph|km/h|0}}, with improvements the Rotabuggy achieved a flight speed of {{convert|70|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} on 1 February 1944. The last test flight occurred in September 1944, where the unit flew for 10 minutes at an altitude of {{convert|400|ft|m|1}} and a speed of {{convert|65|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, after being released by a Whitley bomber, and was described as "highly satisfactory". However, the introduction of gliders that could carry vehicles (such as the Waco Hadrian and Airspeed Horsa) made the Rotabuggy superfluous and further development was cancelled.{{cite book | title=Jeeps 1941–45 | first=Steven J. | last=Zaloga | pages=37–38 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I_fFkOS4b_4C&q=Rotabuggy+&pg=PA38 | publisher=Osprey Publishing | year=2005 | isbn=1-84176-888-X }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
A replica of the Rotabuggy is displayed at the Museum of Army Flying in Middle Wallop. Hafner also came up with the idea of a similarly outfitted "Rotatank" using a Valentine tank, but that was never built.
Specifications
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Nothing Ventured...Jarrett Aeroplane Monthly October 1991, p. 597.
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|empty weight lb=2125
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See also
=Postwar equivalents=
References
;Notes
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;Sources
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
- {{cite magazine|last=Jarrett|first=Philip|author-link=Philip Jarrett |title=Nothing Ventured...No. 18|magazine=Aeroplane Monthly|date=October 1991|volume= 19|issue= 10|pages=592–597|issn=0143-7240}}
- {{cite book |last=Meekcoms |first=K J|author2=Morgan, E B| title= The British Aircraft Specification File | year=1994 |publisher=Air-Britain | location=Tonbridge, Kent, England | isbn=0-85130-220-3}}
- {{citation | title=Jeeps 1941–45 | first=Steven J. | last=Zaloga |authorlink=Steven J. Zaloga |pages=37–38 | series=New Vanguard 117 | publisher=Osprey Publishing | year=2005 | isbn=1-84176-888-X}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100803184606/http://www.armyflying.com/experimental_aircraft.asp Museum of Army Flying exhibit]
- [http://www.unrealaircraft.com/roadable/rotabuggy.php Unrealaircraft.com]
{{commons category|Hafner Rotabuggy}}
{{Flying cars}}
{{Hafner aircraft}}