Agnew E. Larsen and His Activities

[hesham]

Hi,

Mr. Agnew E. Larsen was a designer of aircraft and autogyros,he began to
work for a company from 1925,Pitcairn,and he joined Martin in 1947,he
made a flying boat Project (as I think) in 1920,he also created helicopters
to Martin company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnew_E._Larsenhttps://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1920-agnew-larsen-original-flying-1839879754https://books.google.com.eg/books?i...VwKHSPXCMEQ6AEwEXoECA8QAw#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/13/27/70/680f1aacc78219/US2420784-drawings-page-1.pnghttps://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/45/eb/82/741367ca3c4191/US2589826-drawings-page-1.png
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/th...ompetition-of-1923-24-1926.31696/#post-350768

 

[Apophenia]

Some years before joining with Harold Pitcairn, Agnew Larsen worked for the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Company where was became chief draftsman in 1917-1918 (although the Ithaca Directory mis-listed him as "Larson Agnew E"). Larsen also participated in aircraft designs under B.D. Thomas - including the 1919 Thomas-Morse S-6 biplane. He stayed with Thomas-Morse Aircraft until joining with Pitcairn in 1923 (not 1925).

https://vertipedia.vtol.org/biographies/getBiography/biographyID/318
Larsen became chief engineer at Pitcairn but also became Vice President of the rebranded Autogiro Company of America in 1933 (today, most of Larsen's early patents are still assigned to the Autogiro Company of America).

I have my doubts about that flying boat 3-view drawing. The details block makes clear that it was submitted for a drawing competition in 1920, but when was this design actually drawn?

The wing-warping controls and twin 'rubber-band' propeller drive suggest a concept from a full decade earlier. Oddly, any forms of cockpit or other pilot's position are also conspicuous by their absense. Very peculiar. The next puzzle being why Larsen - as an established draftsman - was entering work in a drawing contest in the first place.

As for Glenn L. Martin Company, Larsen didn't so much 'join' the firm - Martin bought out Larsen's Rotawings. Inc. on 14 Feb 1947. Some sources say 'merged' but Martin basically just acquired all of Rotawings' assets and patents. Larsen stayed on as manager of the new Martin Rotawings Division.

"Establishment of a special division for research and experiment with helicopter control systems, rotor hubs and blades' also is planned, Glen L. Martin, company president, announcing the decision after a directors' meeting, said there is no plan for developing a complete helicopter at this time, but that work will be carried on with vital parts of rotating wing aircraft." Kingsport News, Kingsport, TN, 15 Feb 1947, page 7.

According to Aviation Week, July 25, 1949, page 13, "Rotawings Division. Originally planned as Martin's helicopter division, Rotawings has been absorbed back into the main Martin engineering department and is relatively inactive at the present time." No details were provided as to whether Larsen parted company with Martin at this point.

Circa 1950, Larsen was associated with the Kellett Aircraft Co. (as a consultant, I believe).