Gyroplane Laboratoire

infobox Aircraft
name = Gyroplane Laboratoire
type = Prototype helicopter
manufacturer = Breguet/Dorand



caption = Gyroplane-Laboratoire, 1933
designer = Louis Breguet
first flight = 26 June 1935
introduced =
retired =
status = Destroyed
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 1
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Gyroplane Laboratoire is considered by some to be the first, practicable helicopter in the world. The frenchman, Louis Breguet, had already experimented with rotorcraft in 1909, however, he chose to concentrate on airplanes until the end of the 1920s. In 1929 he announced a set of patents which addressed the flight stabilization of rotorcraft, and, in 1931, Breguet created the "Syndicat d'Etudes de Gyroplane" (French for "Syndicate for Gyroplane Studies"), together with Rene Dorand as technical director. Their goal was the development of an experimental helicopter, the Gyroplane Laboratoire.

Design

The aircraft consisted of an open steel tube framework, within which the engine, fuel tank, controls and pilot were situated, together with a tail assembly with plywood tail surfaces. The tail wheel landing gear was installed with the main wheels on outriggers and with an additional small wheel at the front to avoid nosing-over during landing. Power was provided by a 240 HP Hispano radial engine which propelled the two contra-rotating, coaxial rotors. The coaxial rotor design was chosen because with the rotors turning in opposite directions the torque from one rotor was canceled out by the torque produced by the other rotor.

The two, twin-bladed rotors made of metal were shaped like arrows and incorporated both cyclic and collective pitch blade control, with which movement around the pitch and roll axis was controlled, as well as climb and descent.

Operational history

The Bréguet Dorand aircraft was finished in 1933. After ground tests and an accident, the first flight took place on 26 June 1935. Within a short time the pilot, Maurice Claisse, was setting records with the aircraft:

* 14 December 1935: Closed-circuit flight with 500 m diameters
* 26 September 1936: Height of 158 m
* 24 November 1936: Flight duration of 1:02:05 hours over a 44 km closed circuit at 44.7 km/h
* Maximum speed 120 km/h

The Gyroplane Laboratoire and its accomplishments were soon overshadowed by the German Fw 61. Breguet and Dorand continued to conduct further experiments to improve the design until the aircraft experienced a hard landing in June 1939. Development was abandoned with the outbreak of World War II.Goebel, Greg. [http://www.vectorsite.net/avheli_1.html#m4 "European Helicopter Pioneers"] . " [http://www.vectorsite.net Vectorsite.net] ".1 August 2007. Accessed on 24 August 2008] The only prototype was destroyed in 1943 during an allied air attack on the airfield at Villacoublay.

pecifications (Gyroplane Laboratoire)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop

ref={All the World's Rotorcraft} [cite web
url=http://avia.russian.ee/helicopters_eng/breguet-dorand.php
title=Breguet-Dorand "Gyroplane Laboratoire"
last=
first=
date=
accessdate=2007-03-27
work= [http://avia.russian.ee All the World's Rotorcraft]
publisher=Maksim Starostin]

crew=1
capacity=
length main= 8.92 m
length alt= ft in
span main= 15.89 m
span alt= ft in
height main= 2.79 m
height alt= ft in
area main= m²
area alt= ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,430 kg
empty weight alt= lb
loaded weight main= kg
loaded weight alt= lb
useful load main= kg
useful load alt= kg
max takeoff weight main= 1,950 kg
max takeoff weight alt= lb
more general=

engine (prop)=Hispano-Suiza
type of prop=
number of props= 1
power main= 225 kW
power alt= hp
power original=

max speed main= 120 km/h
max speed alt=
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 44 km
range alt= nm, mi
ceiling main= 158 m
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=

avionics=

References

*This article originally translated from the German Wikipedia.
*cite book|last=Munson|first=Kenneth|year=1968|title=Helicopters and other rotorcraft since 1907|location=London|publisher=Blandford P.|id=ISBN 9780713704938

External links

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar=
lists=
* List of helicopter models
sequence=
see also=