Saunders Helicogyre
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=Helicogyre | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Experimental Helicopter | national origin=United Kingdom | manufacturer=S.E. Saunders Limited | designer=Vittorio Isacco | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | number built=1 | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Saunders Helicogyre was a 1920s experimental helicopter designed by Vittorio Isacco and built by S.E. Saunders Limited for the British Air Ministry.
Design and development
Vittorio Isacco designed and built four different Helicogyre experimental helicopters between 1926 and 1935. In 1928 Air Ministry Specification 2/28 was issued to S.E Saunders for a prototype helicopter to the Helicogyre No. 3 design.
The Helicogyre had a conventional 1920s tractor aircraft fuselage and main landing gear but had an extended tailskid to keep the fuselage horizontal. At the front of the fuselage was a {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Armstrong Siddeley Genet piston engine. Behind the cockpit was a braced post on which was fitted a four-bladed rotor, each rotor blade was fitted with a {{convert|32|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Bristol Cherub piston engine at the tip.
The Helicogyre serial number K1171 was completed in 1929 and delivered to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough by road. It was tested in the Balloon Shed,[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200355.html "Saunders Roe Skeeter"] Flight 1956 p355 but ground tests were not completed and the programme was cancelled on 30 December 1931 without the Helicogyre having flown.
Operators
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See also
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References
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;Bibliography
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- {{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}}
- {{cite book |last=London |first=Peter| title= Saunders and Saro Aircraft since 1917 | year=1988 |publisher=Putnam | location=London |isbn=0-85177-814-3}}
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{{Saro aircraft}}
Category:1920s British experimental aircraft
Category:1920s British helicopters
Category:Five-engined piston helicopters
Category:Tipmotor-powered helicopters