17 British Rotorcraft Association GyroFlight Winter 2005/6

The Autogyro/Gyroplane Bookshelf: Treasures New and Old - part II An extract from an article by Dr. Bruce H. Charnov

It is likely that Kas Thomas’ Guide to Homebuilt Rotorcraft (New York: Crown Publishers 1976) was the first such endeavor to set forth the then-current range of amateur rotorcraft and detail a training syllabus with the theory and practice of gyroplane flight. Rich in photographs (many of Ken Brock), it was followed six years later by Thomas’ The Complete Guide to Homebuilt Rotorcraft written with Jack Lambie (Blue Ridge Summit, PA : TAB Books Inc. 1982).

Each is long out-of-print but worth acquiring. Paul Bergen Abbott’s The Gyrocopter Flight Manual (Introduction by Dr. Igor Bensen) (Indianapolis, Indiana: The Abbott Company, 1977; Indianapolis, IN: Cranberry Corners 1983; Indianapolis, IN: The Abbott Company 1986) along with The Gyroplane Flight Manual (Introduction by Dr. Igor Bensen) (Indianapolis, Indiana: The Abbott Company, 1988, 1992, 1996) soon followed and, in one form or another, has remained continually in print, and is now available in a 2004 edition. 1

The latest edition is identical to the previous version (it even retains the same ISBN number as the 1996 book), with the exception that the “High-profile or Low-profile” section in the 1996 edition has been replaced by “Rear engine or Front-engine”, presumably to reflect the growth in popularity of tractor autogyros such as Ron Herron’s Little Wing Autogyro series 2 and John Van Voorhees “Pitbull.” 3 Additionally several of the photographs have been updated to reflect the current state of the gyro market-place (e.g., on p. 18 an Air Command

replaces a Brock KB-3; p. 23 where a Dominator photo replaces that of a SnoBird 582 ). As such this was, and remains a classic introduction to the autogyro/

gyrocopter – with a significant number of photographs of the traditional Benson Gyrocopter complete with overhead stick.

The book also contains an abbreviated history of autorotational flight that unfortunately continues the errors contained in previous editions – significantly, Abbott repeats his assertion (also repeated in several internet sites) that “a chain of events stifled public interest in these [Autogiros] rotorcraft . . . [t]he two foremost proponents of the autogyro, Cierva and Pitcairn, were killed in accidents, Cierva in an airplane crash, Pitcairn in a gun accident .” This is obviously incorrect, for while Cierva’s untimely death on December 9, 1936 undoubtedly did influence the subsequent decline in public interest, Pitcairn’s death on April 23, 1960 came much later and had no impact on Autogiro decline.

And in a similar manner, Abbott’s assertion that the PCA-2 of 1931 was “Pitcairn’s very first model” ignores the historical reality of the PCA-1, 1A 4 and 1B which were the 1930 Pitcairn developmental Autogiros that earned him and his associates the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for that year.

The other long-standing American book introducing the gyroplane is Martin Hollmann’s venerable Flying the Gyroplane (Monterey, CA: Aircraft Designs, Inc., 1986), available from the author at aircraft@mbay.net. This spiral-bound self-published offering is largely Hollmann’s own story, and not without interest as it details his involvement in gyroplanes and provides a personal and detailed account of the development of the experimental two-place Sportster and ultralight Bumble Bee. While Abbott devotes only a few pages to a cursory and largely incomplete historical development of autorotational flight, Hollmann allocates 42 of the his book’s 108 pages, almost 39%, to a presentation of history-ical development -- but, as Abbott, is inaccurate in recounting the details of that development (e.g., Hollmann incorrectly refers to the Cierva gyro Company while it actually was the Cierva Autogiro Company, Ltd.,

a telling point as C i e r v a h a d trademarked the term and only Cierva and C i e r v a - l i c e n s e d aircraft can and should be referred to a s A u t o g i r o s . H o l l m a n n a l s o incorrectly describes the February 1929 company created by Harold F. Pitcairn as t h e A u t o g y r o Company of America while it actually was the Pitcairn-Cierva

(Continued on page 18)

Following last issue’s extract from this article, we look at some more biographical and “how-to-fly” gyro books...

18 British Rotorcraft Association GyroFlight Winter 2005/6

(Continued from page 17) Autogiro Company of America, a subsidiary of Pitcairn Aviation Inc. 5 That company changed its name in January 1931 to the Autogiro Company of America 6. And likewise, it was the Kellett Autogiro Company, not the Kellet Autogyro Company). And Hollmann’s unique and totally mysterious assertion that “in early December 1936, Cierva boarded a KLM Royal Dutch DC-2 to visit Pitcairn to discuss his new rotor control concept and other financially pressing matters…” is incomprehensible as Pitcairn was then in the United States and virtually all serious historians agree that Cierva was traveling to Europe in pursuit of political ends related to the Spanish Civil War, having arranged for the return of General Francisco Franco to Spain from exile earlier in the year. 7

While the Lambie/Thomas and Abbott books contain an index, Hollmann omits this feature while including two pages of references which range from the essential, the o b s c u r e a n d unobtainable. In addition to the 1931 Juan de la Cierva/Don Rose Legacy of Wings, the astute reader will be directed to Frank Kingston Smith’s 1981 book Legacy of Wings: The Story of Harold F. Pitcairn and

George Townson’s 1985 Autogiro: The Story of ‘the Windmill Plane’. But as Hollmann’s 1986 book has apparently not been revised since its publication (on page 45 the author references the Ken Brock 1986 accident as “at the time of this writing”), there is no reference to the classic

and essential 1988 Smithsonian Peter W. Brooks book Cierva Autogiros: The Development of R o t a r y - W i n g F l i g h t . Additionally, some of the references are woefully incomplete. While including the

Reginald Brie piece on “Flying the C.30 Gyroplane”, the author offers a partial reference that should more correctly indicate Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society Vol. IV London March 1939; reprinted as “Pilot’s Notes on Flying the Direct-Control Autogyro in 1939” Rotorcraft. Vol. 34 No. 5 August 1996 pp. 19 – 21.

Hollmann is on surer footing in describing gyroglider development in Europe during WWII, the Hafner Rotachute, and the contributions of the Rotachute to the development of the Bensen Gyroglider. But it should be

noted that Hollmann’s bias is clearly reflected in his historical account as he asserts that “the PRA, which caters primarily to the Bensen and KB2 pilots”, a statement that cannot be regarded as true in any way since 1972 and certainly incorrect in 2004.

Chapter 3 is entitled “Modern Two Place Gyroplanes” but is so out-of-date, dealing primarily with Air & Space 18A and the McCulloch J-2, as to be of only historical interest. Likewise, Hollmann’s recommendation on page

Hafner Rotachute Mk.II on mobile test unit.

19 British Rotorcraft Association GyroFlight Winter 2005/6

107 that the aspiring pilot seek out the late “Don Farrington in Paducah, Kentucky, at Farrington Air Park” reflects its senior-citizen status among gyroplane manuals.

The Abbott and Hollmann books have been in print in various editions for over a quarter century – the former has been the introduction for thousand’s of new enthusiasts, and, although dated, not a bad starting point for beginners, while the latter will provide some h i s t o r i c a l A u t o g i r o perspective and back-ground on the Sportster and ultralight Bumble Bee. But it is likely that any reader first encountering Abbott or Hollmann, will rapidly seek more recent and informative books available.

Happily three new offerings are available that will delight the novice gyronaut! Shirley Jennings’ Short Hops (1998 with regular updates), [reviewed in part I of this article in our last issue - Ed.] Dave Organ’s An Introduction to Ultralight Gyroplanes (2002) and most recently Marion Springer’s Born Free: My Life in Gyrocopters (2004) are wonderful additions to the gyronaut’s reading list.

Dave Organ, founding member and recent BRA Chairman, has written a thoroughly professional and workman-like volume that is a worthy successor to the dated Paul Bergen Abbott book. Entitled An Introduction To Ultralight Gyroplanes, it actually is an extensive introduction to the world of autogyro flight (don’t be misled by the title – it refers to the British classification of gyroplanes and is not limited to the American “ultralight” category which in the UK are termed “microlights”). Having begun his writing with a 1991 booklet introducing readers to British gyroplanes, the author is no stranger to such endeavors and this latest 92-

The McCulloch J-2

The BumbleBee (www.aircraftdesigns.com)

page literary effort is exceptionally well-written. And even though it is understandably slanted to the UK audience, it will prove of great benefit to international readers. While the front cover of the author’s modified Campbell Cricket flying in formation with Roger Savage’s VPM M16 (as Vittorio P. Magni’s outstanding autogyros are called in the UK) over the coast of England at Lands End and back cover showing Marc Lhermette’s RAF 2000 GTXSE and the first Gyroplane produced by Everett Autogyros, having been refurbished by BRA Local Events Liaison Officer Colin Reeves, flying together over the Tamar Bridges that join Devon to Cornwall near Plymouth are in stunning color, the wonderful and varied selection of first-rate b/w gyro photos that punctuate the books chapters are reproduced crisply and thoughtfully illustrate the informative and engaging text. (Organ, even reproduces the photo of Igor Bensen flying over water that from the same series that produced the Winter 1963 cover of Popular Rotorcraft Flying – the photo remains as an impressive expression of the joy of gyro flight as does the photo of Lhermette flying over Leeds Castle in Kent!).

Given the English course of Autogiro and gyroplane development with Cierva, Weir and Hafner, Organ provides an excellent abbreviated summary of that history beginning with the “Origins of Rotary Winged Flight” and its pioneers. His discussion of Leonardo da Vinci, Launoy and Bievenu, Sir George Cayley, Paul Cornu, Jacob C. Ellenhammer, Oemichen and Pescara which sets the stage for and nurture an appreciation for Juan de la Cierva in far fewer pages that either John Fay, Charles Gablehouse or Jay Spenser 8 with first-rate illustrations and diagrams that industriously illustrate the state-of-the-art prior to Cierva. The chapter

discussing Cierva’s Autogiro innovation of rotary-wing flight clearly reflects a close reading of the Cierva/Don Rose 1931 book and will serve as a good, if superficial summary, for readers unfamiliar with the original – unlike others who discuss history, Organ has got it right! And his follow-on chapter dealing with Scotland’s G. and J. Weir Ltd. (of Glasgow) is also first-rate and will prove informative to those readers who are familiar with Cierva, but not those who were contemporaries and who followed, such as Austrian Raoul Hafner. And reflecting the general acknowledgement in the UK that Igor Bensen’s development of the Gyroglider and Gyrocopter was derivative of the Hafner Rotachute, Organ seamlessly transitions from the Austrian to Igor Bensen’s aircraft.

(Continued on page 20)

20 British Rotorcraft Association GyroFlight Winter 2005/6

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(Continued from page 19) Organ gives a good explanation of “How it works?” but the more technically-minded reader will want greater depth (and should benefit from the diagrams found Shirley Jennings book). Obviously, the sections on modern gyroplanes are UK-oriented, and the American reader will likely be unfamiliar with the Campbell Cricket, the Montgomerie-Merlin, W.H.E. Airbuggy and Everett, but the citation of Bensen, Brock, Parsons, Italian VPM (Magni), RAF and Ernie Boyette’s Dominator series of autogyros will seem like sentiments found in recent issues of the PRA publication Rotorcraft. Additionally, Organ presents two sections that are unique for these kind of books: under “Sleeping Projects” he discusses the Chris Julian “Wombat”, 9 Jim Montgomerie ‘s unique tandem, fully enclosed “Twin Touring Autogyro” 10 and “Concept Fandango”, 1988 team-designed J. A. “Danny” Watt’s ducted fan, taildragger 2-place autogyro.11 And in the chapter titled “Projects from Abroad” the author describes the U.F.O. Heli-Thruster, a Mac Gillespie project from New Zealand,12 the Groen Brothers Aviation “Hawk 4 Gyroplane”13 and Ernie Boyette’s Dominator14 as well as including a short chapter on the autogyros of Ken Wallis.15

Organ also discusses “Why does a gyroplane porpoise?” (in a short chapter written by well-known pilot and writer John C. Kitchin), Radiotelephony, Pre-rotators, trailers, UK contact addresses and a useful glossary of gyro terms. He also provides a short chapter on the fate of the Air Command series of gyroplanes that were, due to an unacceptable fatal accident rate between April 1989 and March 1991, not allowed to fly. And although subsequently modified in accord with an agreement with the applicable British governmental agency, another fatality in 1996 caused

the withdrawal of all “Permits to fly”. And while this may be an old story to UK readers, the concise summary here provides new (or renewed) information for the American reader for whom these events were remote. This book is breezy, well-written, handsomely produced in artistic terms and a good addition (or starting point) to a gyronaut’s library even if the understandable UK focus isn’t familiar to the US reader – the territory covered is.

Bruce Charnov [Short Hops and An Introduction to Ultralight Gyroplanes are available from the B.R.A. Bookshop - see page 25 - Ed.]

Bibliography:

1. “New Gyroplane Book Released” Rotorcraft. Vol. 42 No. 4 June-July 2004 p. 13 2. See Barnes, Marcia ‘Sparky’ “The Little Wing Autogyro” CustomPlanes. Vol. 7

No. 4 April 2004 pp. 58 – 67; Downie, Don “Little Wing, Plenty of Disc” Kitplanes. Vol. 17 No. 2 February 2000 pp. 10 – 13; Herron, Ron “History of Little Wing Autogyros” Homebuilt Rotorcraft. Vol. 16 No. 12 December 2003 pp. 6 - 9

3.See Van Voorhees, John “A New Tractor Gyro: The Pitbull” Homebuilt Rotorcraft. Vol. 9 No. 4 April 1996 pp. 4 – 5; The Pitbull Autogyro.” Rotorcraft Vol. 34 No. 3 May 1996 p. 16

4. The PCA-1A remains the oldest rotary-wing aircraft in America, and, having been restored by Stephen “Steve” Pitcairn, is currently on loan from the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution to the American Helicopter Museum, Brandywine, PA. See “Exhibit Spotlight: Pitcairn PCA-1A” Vertika. Vol. 7 Issue 2 October 2000 p. 5

5. Brooks, Peter W. Cierva Autogiros: The Development of Rotary-Wing Flight. Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988; Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing Ltd. 1988 p. 119

6. Charnov, Bruce H. From Autogiro to Gyroplane: The Amazing Survival of an Aviation Technology. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers 2003 p. 67

7. For a definitive account of Cierva’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War and significant participation in facilitating the return of Franco, see Bolin, Luis Spain: The Vital Years. Philadelphia and New York: J. B. Lippincott Company 1967

8. Fay, John. The Helicopter. New York: Hippocrene Books, 4th ed., 1987; Gablehouse, Charles. Helicopters and Autogiros: A History of Rotating-Wing and V/STOL Aviation. Rev. ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1969. Previous edition published as Helicopters and Autogiros: A Chronicle of Rotating-Wing Aircraft. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1967; Spenser, Jay P. Whirlybirds: A History of the U.S. Helicopter Pioneers. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1998

9. See “Dingbat – Son of Wombat” International AUTOGYRO 1/4ly. Issue 19 January 2003 pp. 23 – 24

10. See Bartlett, Ron “Montgomerie Engineering” International Autogyro 1/4ly. Issue 18 2003 pp. 24 – 31;

11. For a description of this aircraft, see Fly. Gyro! No. 4 May/June 2001 p. 2 12. “Ultimate Flying Options (UFO) – An Update from NZ” International AUTOGYRO

1/4ly. Issue 12 April 2002 p. 12; Bartlett, Ron “The UFO-Helithruster – an update” Issue 11 January 2002 International Autogyro 1/4ly. pp. 26 – 27; World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2004 – 2005 (English Edition) p. 226

13. See also Gremminger, Stephanie -“The Hawk 4 Gyroplane Aims to Bring ‘Gyroplanes to Their Logical Progression’. Rotorcraft Vol. 38, No. 5 August 2000 pp. 8 – 9, 35; “Groen Brothers Complete 1st Year Certification of the Hawk 4 Gyroplane” International AUTOGYRO 1/4ly. Issue No. 1 1999 pp. 6 – 7; “Hawk 4T Breathes New Life Into Gyroplanes.”. Aviation Week & Space Technology Vol. 153, No. 19 pp. 54 – 56

14. See also World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2004 – 2005 (English Edition) p. 225; Bruegger, Bruce “Building the Dominator Gyro” Rotorcraft. Vol. 28 No. 4 June-July 1990 pp. 37 – 39

15. See additionally Bartlett, Ron “Ken’s Girls’: a History of the Gyroplanes Built/Designed by Wing Commander Ken Wallis” International Autogyro 1/4ly. Issue 12+1 July 2002 pp. 10 – 13; Harrison, Neil “The Wallis Autogyros” Flight. No. 2977 Vol. 89 March 31, 1966 pp. 515 – 520; “Profile: Wing Commander K H Wallis” Popular Flying. April – May 1996 pp. 13 – 21; Whiteman, Phillip “Pilot Profile: Ken Wallis” Pilot. January 1998 pp. 22 – 25

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