The Focke-Wulf Fw 61 is often considered the first practical, functional helicopter, first flown in 1936.[1] It was also known as the Fa 61, as Focke began a new company—Focke-Achgelis—in 1937.[citation needed]
Professor Henrich Focke, through his development of the Fw 186, and through the efforts of producing the C.19 and C.30 autogyros under licence,[2] came to the conclusion that the limitations of autogyros could be eliminated only by an aircraft with a powered rotor, the helicopter. He and engineer Gerd Achgelis started the design for this helicopter in 1932. A free-flying model, built in 1934 and propelled by a small two-stroke engine, brought the promise of success. Today, the model can be seen in the Deutsches Museum in Munich.[citation needed]
On 9 February 1935, Focke received an order for the building of a prototype, which was designated the Fw 61; Focke referred to it as the F 61. Roluf Lucht of the technical office of the RLM extended the order for a second aircraft on 19 December 1935. The airframe was based on that of a well-tried training aircraft, the Focke-Wulf Fw 44Stieglitz.[citation needed]
Using rotor technology licensed from the Cierva Autogiro Company, a single radial engine drove twin rotors, set on tubular steel outriggers to the left and right of the fuselage.[2] Each main rotor consisted of three articulated and tapered blades, driven by the engine through gears and shafts. Longitudinal and directional control was achieved using cyclic pitch and asymmetric rotor lift.[3] The counter-rotation of the two rotors solved the problem of torque-reaction as also shown by Louis Bréguet. The small horizontal-axis propeller directly driven by the engine was purely to provide the necessary airflow to cool the engine during low speed or hovering flight and provided negligible forward thrust.[4][2]
Only two aircraft were produced.[1] The first prototype, the V 1 D-EBVU, had its first free flight on 26 June 1936 with Ewald Rohlfs at the controls.[4] By early 1937, the second prototype, V 2 D-EKRA, was completed and flown for its first flight. On 10 May 1937, it accomplished its first autorotation landing with the engine turned off.[citation needed]
Focke-Achgelis began work on a two-seat sports version of the Fw 61, the Fa 224, which would have used an Argus As 10C engine and had greater performance. However, the Fa 224 never left the drawing board at the outbreak of World War II.[5]
In February 1938, the Fw 61 was demonstrated by Hanna Reitsch indoors at the Deutschlandhalle sports stadium in Berlin, Germany.[6][7] It subsequently set several records for altitude, speed and flight duration culminating, in June 1938, with an altitude record of 3,427 m (11,243 ft),[2] breaking the unofficial 605 m (1,985 ft) altitude record of the TsAGI 1-EA single lift-rotor helicopter from the Soviet Union set in August 1932, and a straight line flight record of 230 km (143 mi).[citation needed]
Coates, Steve and Jean-Christophe Carbonel. Helicopters of the Third Reich. Crowborough, UK: Classic Publications Ltd., 2002. ISBN1-903223-24-5.
Green, William. Aircraft of the Third Reich, Vol.1. London: Aerospace Publishing Limited, (First ed.) 2010. ISBN978-1-900732-06-2.
Nowarra, Heinz J. German Helicopters, 1928–1945. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1990. ISBN0-88740-289-5.
Ruffin, Steven A. Aviation's Most Wanted: The Top 10 book of Winged Wonders, Lucky Landings and Other Aerial Oddities. Washington D.C.: Potomac Books, 2005. ISBN1-57488-674-6.
Smith, J. Richard. Focke-Wulf, an Aircraft Album. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1973. ISBN0-7110-0425-0.
Smith, J. Richard and Anthony Kay. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1972 (3rd edition 1978). ISBN0-370-00024-2.
Witkowski, Ryszard. Rotorcraft of the Third Reich. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2007. ISBN978-83-89450-43-2.
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focke, wulf, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 2021, le. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Focke Wulf Fw 61 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Focke Wulf Fw 61 is often considered the first practical functional helicopter first flown in 1936 1 It was also known as the Fa 61 as Focke began a new company Focke Achgelis in 1937 citation needed Fw 61 Fw 61 which Hanna Reitsch flew Role Helicopter Manufacturer Focke Wulf Focke Achgelis First flight 26 June 1936 Introduction 1936 Primary user Nazi Germany Number built 2 1 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications Fw 61 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and development edit nbsp Fw 61 on a Deutsche Bundespost postage stamp 1979 Professor Henrich Focke through his development of the Fw 186 and through the efforts of producing the C 19 and C 30 autogyros under licence 2 came to the conclusion that the limitations of autogyros could be eliminated only by an aircraft with a powered rotor the helicopter He and engineer Gerd Achgelis started the design for this helicopter in 1932 A free flying model built in 1934 and propelled by a small two stroke engine brought the promise of success Today the model can be seen in the Deutsches Museum in Munich citation needed On 9 February 1935 Focke received an order for the building of a prototype which was designated the Fw 61 Focke referred to it as the F 61 Roluf Lucht of the technical office of the RLM extended the order for a second aircraft on 19 December 1935 The airframe was based on that of a well tried training aircraft the Focke Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz citation needed Using rotor technology licensed from the Cierva Autogiro Company a single radial engine drove twin rotors set on tubular steel outriggers to the left and right of the fuselage 2 Each main rotor consisted of three articulated and tapered blades driven by the engine through gears and shafts Longitudinal and directional control was achieved using cyclic pitch and asymmetric rotor lift 3 The counter rotation of the two rotors solved the problem of torque reaction as also shown by Louis Breguet The small horizontal axis propeller directly driven by the engine was purely to provide the necessary airflow to cool the engine during low speed or hovering flight and provided negligible forward thrust 4 2 Only two aircraft were produced 1 The first prototype the V 1 D EBVU had its first free flight on 26 June 1936 with Ewald Rohlfs at the controls 4 By early 1937 the second prototype V 2 D EKRA was completed and flown for its first flight On 10 May 1937 it accomplished its first autorotation landing with the engine turned off citation needed Focke Achgelis began work on a two seat sports version of the Fw 61 the Fa 224 which would have used an Argus As 10C engine and had greater performance However the Fa 224 never left the drawing board at the outbreak of World War II 5 Operational history edit nbsp A replica of Fw 61 ILA 2006 at the Hubschraubermuseum in Buckeburg In February 1938 the Fw 61 was demonstrated by Hanna Reitsch indoors at the Deutschlandhalle sports stadium in Berlin Germany 6 7 It subsequently set several records for altitude speed and flight duration culminating in June 1938 with an altitude record of 3 427 m 11 243 ft 2 breaking the unofficial 605 m 1 985 ft altitude record of the TsAGI 1 EA single lift rotor helicopter from the Soviet Union set in August 1932 and a straight line flight record of 230 km 143 mi citation needed Neither of these machines appear to have survived World War II although a replica is on display at the Hubschraubermuseum in Buckeburg Germany citation needed Specifications Fw 61 edit nbsp Orthographic projection of the Fw 61 V2 Data from Aircraft of the Third Reich 8 General characteristicsCrew one Length 7 3 m 23 ft 11 in fuselage only Height 2 65 m 8 ft 8 in Empty weight 800 kg 1 764 lb Max takeoff weight 950 kg 2 094 lb Powerplant 1 Bramo Sh 14A 7 cyl air cooled radial piston engine 119 kW 160 hp Main rotor diameter 2 7 m 23 ft 0 in Main rotor area 76 97 m2 828 5 sq ft Performance Maximum speed 112 km h 70 mph 60 kn at sea level Cruise speed 90 km h 56 mph 49 kn Range 230 km 140 mi 120 nmi Service ceiling 3 427 m 11 243 ft Rate of climb 3 50 m s 689 ft min See also editRelated development Focke Achgelis Fa 223 Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Flettner Fl 265 Flettner Fl 282 Gyroplane Laboratoire Sikorsky R 4References editNotes edit a b c Goebel Greg European Helicopter Pioneers vectorsite net Retrieved 10 October 2015 unreliable source a b c d Ford Roger 2013 Germany s Secret Weapons of World War II London Amber Books p 224 ISBN 9781909160569 J R Smith Antony L Kay 1972 Focke Wulf Fw 61 German Aircraft of the Second World War Retrieved 6 June 2015 a b J R Smith Antony L Kay 21 April 1938 Helicopter Progress Flight 380 383 Focke Achgelis Fa 224 Ruffin 2005 p 19 Smith Frank 1981 Legacy of Wings The Harold F Pitcairn Story New York Jason Aronson Inc pp 261 262 ISBN 0876684851 Green 2010 pp 356 357 Bibliography edit Coates Steve and Jean Christophe Carbonel Helicopters of the Third Reich Crowborough UK Classic Publications Ltd 2002 ISBN 1 903223 24 5 Green William Aircraft of the Third Reich Vol 1 London Aerospace Publishing Limited First ed 2010 ISBN 978 1 900732 06 2 Nowarra Heinz J German Helicopters 1928 1945 Atglen Pennsylvania Schiffer Publishing 1990 ISBN 0 88740 289 5 Ruffin Steven A Aviation s Most Wanted The Top 10 book of Winged Wonders Lucky Landings and Other Aerial Oddities Washington D C Potomac Books 2005 ISBN 1 57488 674 6 Smith J Richard Focke Wulf an Aircraft Album London Ian Allan Ltd 1973 ISBN 0 7110 0425 0 Smith J Richard and Anthony Kay German Aircraft of the Second World War London Putnam amp Company Ltd 1972 3rd edition 1978 ISBN 0 370 00024 2 Witkowski Ryszard Rotorcraft of the Third Reich Redbourn UK Mushroom Model Publications 2007 ISBN 978 83 89450 43 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Focke Wulf Fw 61 French amp German Helicopter Pioneers Fa 61 Focke Wulf Fw61 Henrich Focke Fa 61 Virtual Aviation Museum Focke Wulf FW 61 Warbirds Resource Group German static replica Focke Wulf Fw 61 luftwaffe at YouTube Vertical Rewind Spoils of War Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Focke Wulf Fw 61 amp oldid 1202323989, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
