Small tandem rotor helicopters.

Bailey

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Three of a kind:-

Photo 1 The McCulloch MC-34 from the U.S.A.

Photo 2 The Chu CJC-3 from Formosa/Taiwan.

Photo 3 The AISA IH-49 from Spain.


Photo's 1 & 2 from The Aircraft of the World, Macdonald 1956.
Photo 3 from Aeroplano magazine No14.
 

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Also in Poland we had a project of a helicopter with tandem rotors. In 1952-1953 a study of a helicopter designated GIL-3 (where "GIL" stood for "Główny Instytut Lotnictwa" or "Main Aviation Institute") was prepared. It was to have an engine developing 870 shp (the type had not been specified) and its payload should have been around 800 kg. No further works were undertaken however and the design team led by Bronisław Żurakowski concentrated on a single-rotor helicopter project, the GIL-4 that later became the BŻ-4 Żuk.

Best regards,
Piotr
 

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Also in Poland we had a project of a helicopter with tandem rotors.

Thanks for information Petrus, a totally new project to me.

Another family are the Filper Beta Models

Thanks also Martin, the Flippers are interesting because of their layout with the crew at the back.

Regards Bailey
 
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6847.msg58536.html#msg58536
 
My dear Bailey,

can I ask you if there was IH-50 project ?,that is becuase I spoke before
about IH-51 (or H-51) and H-52 helicopters in Helicopter & Autogyros
topic.

The Molyneux XM-1000 was also small tandem rotor helicopter.
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200184.html
 

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Hi Hersham,

can I ask you if there was IH-50 project ?,that is becuase I spoke before
about IH-51 (or H-51) and H-52 helicopters in Helicopter & Autogyros
topic.

I have not tracked down an IH-50 as yet. AISA's projects are hard to get information on. Attached is a poor quality drawing of the IH-51, from the same source as the one of the IH-49 above.

Thanks for the Molyneux link.

Regards Bailey.
 

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I also think of the:

De Lackner Model 125 Cloud-Buster
Del Mar DH-20 Mighty Mite Trainer
Laflamme LAF-01 (Canada)
Piaggio PD-4
Rotorcraft XH-011 Dragonfly
which were all built
 
Depending on your definition, you could also include the Chrysler and Piasecki "flying jeep" designs with tandem shrouded rotors or even the Bensen prop copter.
 
Filer Beta 100A/200A/300/400A was a series of prototype tandem helicopters built by between 1958 and 1969. Their unusual configuration had a slender fuselage connecting a pair of tandem rotors mounted atop tall pylons.
The project started with a proof-of-concept made of metal tubes with the engine at the front and the single pilot at the rear. Later versions had smooth, sheet metal airframes and retractable landing gear. The engine was low-slung, amid ship while the pilot and passenger, sat near the rear.
Former Lockheed engineer William F. Orr invented the "Gyroflex" system to stabilize rotors. He was aided by other engineers, including Irv Culver, John Turner, J. Eric Rhodes (chief project engineer) and J. Ford Thompson (chief engineer).
All three prototypes crashed, at Livermore Airport, California injuring one test pilot and killing another.
 
There was also a prototype tandem helicopter built in Quebec circa 2000 intended for amateur construction. It vaguely resembled a Chinook with the cockpit in the nose and a tall rear pylon.
 
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The machine you mention may well be the Laflamme LAF-01, a homebuilt seemingly developed during the 80s and 90s... https://www.laflamme-ing.com/en/about-us/history/


Laflamme Aero is currently working on a tandem rotor UAV.... https://laflamme.aero/lx300-helicopter/

 
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Filer Beta 100A/200A/300/400A was a series of prototype tandem helicopters built by between 1958 and 1969. Their unusual configuration had a slender fuselage connecting a pair of tandem rotors mounted atop tall pylons.
The project started with a proof-of-concept made of metal tubes with the engine at the front and the single pilot at the rear. Later versions had smooth, sheet metal airframes and retractable landing gear. The engine was low-slung, amid ship while the pilot and passenger, sat near the rear.
Former Lockheed engineer William F. Orr invented the "Gyroflex" system to stabilize rotors. He was aided by other engineers, including Irv Culver, John Turner, J. Eric Rhodes (chief project engineer) and J. Ford Thompson (chief engineer).
All three prototypes crashed, at Livermore Airport, California injuring one test pilot and killing another.
For Filper Helicopter,please see;

 

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The machine you mention may well be the Laflamme LAF-01, a homebuilt seemingly developed during the 80s and 90s... https://www.laflamme-ing.com/en/about-us/history/


Laflamme Aero is currently working on a tandem rotor UAV.... https://laflamme.aero/lx300-helicopter/

Yes.
Now the sons of Mr. Laflamme are marketing a smaller version as a UAV.
 
Filer Beta 100A/200A/300/400A was a series of prototype tandem helicopters built by between 1958 and 1969. Their unusual configuration had a slender fuselage connecting a pair of tandem rotors mounted atop tall pylons.
The project started with a proof-of-concept made of metal tubes with the engine at the front and the single pilot at the rear. Later versions had smooth, sheet metal airframes and retractable landing gear. The engine was low-slung, amid ship while the pilot and passenger, sat near the rear.
Former Lockheed engineer William F. Orr invented the "Gyroflex" system to stabilize rotors. He was aided by other engineers, including Irv Culver, John Turner, J. Eric Rhodes (chief project engineer) and J. Ford Thompson (chief engineer).
All three prototypes crashed, at Livermore Airport, California injuring one test pilot and killing another.
The actual name is Filper, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filper_Research_Beta. I always had a soft spot for that sci-fi looking design, even though it didn't perform well, to put it mildly. I guess that's what you get when a fruit canning company designs a helicopter...
 
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