Projects of the Flettner Aircraft Corporation/Key Gardens NY, USA

[Jemiba]

Anton Flettner, well known for his helicopters in Germany emigrated to the USA in 1947 and
founded the Flettner Aircraft Corporation. There he designed a heavy lift helicopter with
gas powered intermeshing rotors. Forward propulsion was given by two propellers, the rotors
should turn freely during forward flight and only be powered for take-off and landing, or low
speed flight. Rotor diameter was 23.5 m, length25.8m and payload about 3 tons. The compound
helicopter was desiganted Model 201.
(Information and drawing from vertiflite Summer 2003)

 

[Maveric]

An absolutly great find, fantastic :-* :-* :-*

 

[hesham]

Amazing project my dear Jemiba,


you made my day.

 

[Stargazer]

Such a sweet serendipity!!! The whole US connection with Flettner is totally new to me. Thanks a lot, Jemiba!

 

[Jemiba]

Another project shown in that article, but just as a sketch, was the model 200, proposed
to the USN. It was a one-man helicopter, with a two-bladed rotor powered by two pulse jets,
mounted on beams perpendicular to the rotor blades.

 

[hesham]

Wow,fantastic my dear Jemiba.

 

[richard]

From a "Science et Vie" of the mid-fifties :

 

[hesham]

Wow,what a beauty project my dear Richard,many thanks.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


anther Flettner patent in USA;


http://www.google.com/patents/US2881989

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19521222/8/2
http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19521222/9/2

 

[hesham]

From Vertiflite 1955-2

here is anther Project for convertiplane,could accommodated 40
passenger.

 

[Stargazer]

Flettner convertiplane project, based on a Fairchild "Packet"-like airframe (from Air Trails, March 1952):

 

[hesham]

Flettner convertiplane project, based on a Fairchild "Packet"-like airframe (from Air Trails, March 1952):

From L'Air 1952.

 

[UpForce]

Flettner convertiplane project, based on a Fairchild "Packet"-like airframe (from Air Trails, March 1952):

Needless to say (but I'll put it on the record anyway) that this configuration is very reminiscent of some of the (apparently not that) recent eVTOL designs. One wonders whether developments have converged unbeknownst or have current startups done extensive literature reviews (using this very site, for instance)?