Starting with an open-cockpit primary type glider first flown in November 1950, the Technical Centre built two Model PT-G open cockpit primary single-seaters based on the ESG design, six Model IT-G intermediate trainers based on the Grunau Baby.
Post WW2
Civil Aviation Department of India
Technical Centre, Civil Aviation Department
Civil Aviation Directorate,
Talkatora Road,
New Delhi
Seven types of glider have been developed at this Technical Centre, which is the research and development establishment of the Indian Civil Aviation Department, since 1950.
Some are based on well-known designs such as the Grunau Baby and Olympia; but the three latest types, the Ashvini, Rohini and Bharani, are of original design and are intended to use indigenous materials wherever possible. The Technical Centre does not undertake quantitymanufacture of sailplanes, but supplies sets of drawings to private concerns such as Aeronautical Services Ltd, which is producing the Ashvini and Rohini.
The RG-1 Rohini-1 side-by-side two-seater trainer was the first type designed at the Technical Centre of India’s Civil Aviation Department to go into production in more than small quantities. Starting with an open-cockpit primary type glider first flown in November 1950, the Technical Centre built two Model PT-G open cockpit primary single-seaters based on the ESG design, six Model IT-G intermediate trainers based on the Grunau Baby, two Model AS-1 high performance sailplanes based on the Olympia and five Ashvini tandem two-seater trainers resembling the DPS Kranich; 11 more Ashvinis were built by Aeronautical Services Ltd of Calcutta.
Citroen RE-2
In the 1970’s Citroen experimented with a small light helicopter, powered by a Wankel engine developed in a joint venture with NSU (Comotor), as part of their investigation into alternative engine development.
All started with Comotor, a joint-venture between NSU and Citroën for the development and marketing of rotary motors. The small Citroën M35 preceded the Citroën GS Birotor, which, despite of their good performance and exclusive image, always suffered from high fuel consumption and low reliability. The last attempt to save Comotor was the RE-2 helicopter.
French helicopter engineer Charles Marcetti was commissioned to design and build a small helicopter, which would be powered by a Comotor 624 twin-rotor (170hp) engine. A development of the engine used in the prototype GS Birotor. Charles Marchetti had designed the successful helicopter Alouette.
The damage to Comotor was already done. Sales of the Citroën GS Birotor were disastrous, and the Board of Directors of the brand I wanted to put point and end to the project. Clutching at straws, Citroën looked at the sky: “we will produce a helicopter, and we’ll use our thrusters rotating to make it fly”.
The engine was a Comotor 624 of two rotors, a capacity of 1,990 cc and 101 HP fitted with Solex carburetor by a system of mechanical fuel injection, developed by Citroën. The fuel feed and cooling were modified.
After months of rushed development, the first prototype would rise from the ground, the Christmas Eve of the year 1975. It was a helicopter designed for two occupants, for recreational use. Citroën wanted to have his helicopter ready as soon as possible, and with the rush even had difficulties to find a test pilot.
This engine was capable of to propel the aircraft to a cruise speed of 173 km/h and on the paper, could climb to a ceiling of 3,500 meters altitude. Citroën had been flown successfully with its RE-2, but did not yet have the government certification to sell it to the public. During the processes of approval, it was discovered that the engine overheated after a time running at high-rate.
Although the tests were successful, over-heating problems with the engine and pending bankruptcy brought the project to an end. The lack of funds and technical problems delayed the certification of the aircraft, that it would never be completed.
While the engineers solved the engine problems, Citroen came under Peugeot, in the recently formed PSA Group. Although the RE-2 solved their problems and got a permit of flight six months in 1977 for the final adjustments, in Peugeot were fed up.
On May 5, 1979, Peugeot ordered to Citroën the immediate cancellation of the project after only 38 hours of flight.
The RE-2 went to the Musée Citroën in France.
RE-2
Engine: 1 x Citroën Comotor 624 rotary (Wankel), 160-190hp
Length: 7,18 m
Height: 2,59 m
Weight: 700 kg
Circa Reproductions ONW / Beamcraft
The ONW/ Beamcraft I is a version of a design built in the 1960s. It uses commercial window frame “Beams” for the body, and simple 1 inch tubes for the tail. The wings are a simple ladder structure with strut bracing. It can be built in High wing, Mid wing or Low wing configuration, and nose or tail wheel. It is intended for engines ranging from 16 Horse Kohler or Briggs to the 447 rotax and will fly delightfully in the US UL range.
The TNW/ Beamcraft II is a biplane version of the Beam Craft: Same structure, same wheel arrangements, same rough weights and performance. You can have 2 ailerons or 4.
Beamcraft I
Wingspan: 28 ft
Wing Area: 126.5 sq. ft.
Length: 15 ft 66 in
Height: (various)
Weight: 250 lbs
Fuel Tank: 5 US gal.
Stall: 25 mph
Cruise: 50-65 mph
Top Speed: 65 mph
Never Exceed: 75 mph
Gross wt: 500 lbs
G Factor: 5.7+ 2.8-
Beamcraft II
Wingspan: 24 ft
Wing Area: 144 sq. ft.
Cijan DM 6 R Kurir
Reconnaissance and liaison aircraft, Turkey, 1955
In 1959 a twin-float seaplane version was being tested. Originally a cantilever monoplane, the Hydro-Kurir features single bracing struts, the licence-built 155 hp Walter Minor 6-III engine has a redesigned cowling, and the wings raised above the upper fuselage contour. The Hydro-Kurir is actually the fifth Kurir built (50005).
Length: 32.48 ft / 9.9 m
Height: 11.483 ft / 3.5 m
Wingspan: 46.752 ft / 14.25m
Max. speed: 94 kts / 175 kph
Service ceiling: 15092 ft / 4600 m
Cievra CR Twin / CR.LTH-1
J.Weir maintained a working association with J.S.Shapiro, and in 1961 63 Servotec built a man carrying helicopter model to embody Weir’s ideas of a non stalling rotor, which emerged from many years of model tests. In the course of this collaboration, Weir became aware of the CR Twin development and in 1965 decided to give this development financial support. This combination of interests was cemented in a take over of Rotorcraft Ltd by the Cierva Autogiro Co, which was thereupon renamed the Cierva Rotorcraft Co. The largest shareholders were Weir and Shapiro.
The design for a four seat helicopter was shaping up during 1965, and in 1967 the Ministry of Technology awarded a research contract as a partial contribution to test some novel features. Also in 1967 construction of the prototype began, and the first flight took place in August 1969. In the same year Servotec Ltd was taken over by Cierva Rotor¬craft Ltd. Servotec, with its design and inspection approval, continues development work on the CR Twin helicopter and also work under contract to several organisations, including Canadair, Boeing Vertol and Bell.
The CR Twin retains the basic layout of two engines driving two contra rotating coaxial rotors, as this was con¬sidered to be the only configuration in which the aims of twin engined safety, simplicity and efficiency could be attained at a low first cost. When the aircraft was designed the only means of achieving the desired performance at a low cost was by the use of piston engines. The turbine engines then available, and indeed still available several years later, were too costly, required a further reduction stage in the main gearbox and had an excessive fuel con¬sumption in cruise.
Two prototypes were built, using Rolls Royce Continental O 300 engines of a nominal 145 bhp each. Designated CR.LTH-1 (otherwise known as the CR-Twin) and the first aircraft, G-AWRP, first flew in 1969 followed by G-AXFM (GB-2) later that year, and a third pre-production machine, G-AZAU (GB-3) in mid-1971. This latter aircraft was fitted with 210hp Continental IO-360-D engines, and the production variants were to be the CR.420 with 210hp Continental TSIO-360-A engines and the CR.640 with 320hp Continental Tiara T6-320 engines. These aircraft were used to demonstrate the practicability of the rotor and airframe, but the lower engine power actually avail¬able was inadequate to permit single engined flying. Test flights showed that the low speed handling was easier than with conventional helicopters (having a single main rotor and an anti torque rotor). No difficulties were encountered when engaging rotors in wind speeds up to 35kt. Adequate yaw control was available for normal helicopter manoeuvres, and no control difficulties were met in side¬ways flight at 25kt or in quick stops. A maximum speed of 90kt IAS was attained using less than maximum power, and full autorotation was achieved.
The first pre production CR Twin was under construc¬tion in Servotec’s workshops at Redhill in 1972. For its initial flight trials this aircraft was to be fitted with normally aspirated Rolls Royce Continental IO 360s of 210 bhp each.
An extremely simple mechanical layout was chosen for the CR Twin. The engines are mounted at about 400 to the fore and aft axis, each driving into the main gearbox through a short drive shaft and combined centrifugal clutch and free-wheel unit.
A single stage reduction main gearbox is used, comprising only two input pinions and two output crown wheels the upper of which drives the lower rotor and the lower the upper rotor. The engines, gearbox and rotors are mounted as a combined power/lift group in a separate tubular sub-frame.
The rotor is controlled manually by the pilot with no servo assistance being provided. The blades are of a symmetrical untwisted section so that the same spare rotor blade can be fitted to either the upper or the lower rotor, should a blade be damaged in service. Each main rotor blade has a hollow main spar of “compressed wood,” a plastic material reinforced with wood fibres, to the leading edge of which is bonded a stainless-steel anti-erosion strip and within which nose-balance weights are fitted. A blade
carcass of glass-fibre cloth of increased thickness towards the blade root is bonded to the main spar aft of the erosion strip, and is injected with polyurethane foam in order to stabilise the trailing-edge section.
The canopy, cowlings, Tail-cone and fairways are all constructed of glass-fibre and are mounted on a simple light-alloy platform that also provides mountings for the undercarriage, the subframe supporting the complete power-lift group, the controls, fuel system and instruments. A feature of the helicopter is the ease with which the canopy, cowlings and tail cone can all be quickly removed in order to simplify major servicing operations.
The design has followed the sealed-maintenance concept by which field unit assemblies can be exchanged quickly without exceptional skill or facilities.
Development was eventually abandoned in 1975 due to lack of further financial backing.
CR Twin 420
2 x Continental TSIO 360A, 210 h.p.
Rotor diameter: 10.06m
Fuselage length: 8.58m
Max take-off weight: 1564kg
Max speed: 222km/h
Cruising speed: 193km/h
Blade section Naca 00 symmetrical
Mean chord 8in tapered.
Fuel cap: 65 Imp gal (295 lt).
Baggage capacity (rear fuselage): 16 cu ft, 0.453 cu.m, (rear cabin), 47 cu.ft, (1.34cu.m).
CR Twin 640
2 x Continental Tiara T6-320, 320 h.p.
Rotor diameter: 10.06m
Fuselage length: 8.58m
Max take-off weight: 1564kg
Max speed: 222km/h
Cruising speed: 193km/h
Blade section Naca 00 symmetrical
Mean chord 8in tapered.
Fuel cap: 65 Imp gal (295 lt).
Baggage capacity (rear fuselage): 16 cu ft, 0.453 cu.m, (rear cabin), 47 cu.ft, (1.34cu.m).
Cierva W.14 / Saunders-Roe Skeeter / AOP.10 / AOP.12
The prototype Skeeter helicopter was designed by the Cievra Autogyro Company as the W14 Skeeter 1 with a 106hp Jameson FF-1 engine and first flew on 8 October 1948 (G-AJCJ), but early development aircraft were under-powered and suffered from resonance problems. The Skeeter had a small, steel tube fuselage structure with a semi-monocoque tail boom section. The three-blade main rotor had metal spars with wooden ribs and a fabric skin, and the two-blade tail rotor was entirely of wood. All the aircraft had tricycle landing gear, although some tests were done with skids.
Cierva W.14 / Saunders-Roe Skeeter Article
A second machine, the Skeeter 2 G-ALUF, was flown on October 20th, 1949, in which the most important of several design changes were the employment of a 145hp Gipsy Major 10 engine, increased rotor diameter and a slightly longer tailboom of circular instead of triangular cross-section. Two further-modified Skeeter 3’s were begun by Cierva which were completed by Saro, for evaluation by the Ministry of Supply, after the latter company had acquired Cierva in January 1951. Two Mk. 3 (Gipsy Major 10) and one Mk. 4 (Bombardier 702) were constructed for Ministry of Supply evaluation. The two Mk. 3’s were later fitted with Bombardier engines, and re-designated Mk. 3B. One similar machine was completed as the Skeeter 4.
During 1960 a new skid undercarriage was adopted on the Skeeter for the British Army in place of the wheels previously fitted.
Saro’s two Skeeter 5 prototypes, built as a private venture, was essentially similar apart from instruments and minor controls such as the positioning of the rotor brake, they differed in detail from the prototype Mark 2 Skeeter. The Mark 5 has a 190 b.h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier 704 engine, while the Mark 3 has a 180 b.h.p. Bombardier 702. The engine is fan cooled with a belt drive. They were the first machines of the series to be really free of the ground resonance problems which had beset the earlier prototypes. In 1956 the Skeeter 5’s were refitted with 200hp Gipsy Major 201’s.
In its civil form, the Skeeter Mark 5 has a 27 gallon fuel tank, which gives an endurance of about three hours, and a further 11 gallons may be carried in an auxiliary tank. The rotor and control system are simple with the three blades being built up on tubular steel spars, with ply ribs and fabric covering. Each blade weighs in the region of 45 lb. The tail rotor of the Mark 3 differed from that of the Mark 5 in having only two blades.
The government-sponsored Skeeter 6 had a 149kW Gipsy Major 30. The power of these engines is much the same but the latter version is a little heavier, carrying more payload and having a higher cruising speed. The Skeeter is built up from four sections the tail cone, complete with rotor, the rear all metal fuselage boom, the centre section, complete with engine, and the cockpit. This seats two side by side with full dual control and instrumenta¬tion.
The Skeeter Mk.6 made overseas appearances at Paris and Stuttgart in June 1956.
After pre-service trials with the Skeeter 6 prototypes, initial production orders were given for two basically similar versions with the Gipsy Major 200 engine. These were the four Skeeter 6A, ordered for the Army Air Corps as the AOP Mk.10, and one Skeeter 6B as the T Mk.11 dual-control trainer for the RAF. Follow-on orders were placed later for the Skeeter 7A (AOP Mk.12) and 7B (T Mk.13), which differed chiefly in having 215hp Gipsy Major 215 engines. The Skeeter 7 was also the subject of a small export order, the Federal German Army and Navy ordering eleven and four as Mk.50 and Mk.51 respectively. Final variant was the Skeeter 8, basically an adaptation of the 7 for commercial operation. Three were built for C. of A. tests, but no civil orders ensued and Skeeter production came to an end in 1960 (by which time Saunders-Roe had become part of the Westland group) after a total of seventy-seven aircraft had been built.
The Skeeter was the first helicopter to enter British Army Air Corps service, replacing fixed-wing Auster aircraft.
The definitive military version was the AOP12 and deliveries began in June 1958. In the three years this version was in production a total of 64 were built in three separate batches. The Saro Skeeter AOP 12 was a two-seat reconnaissance and artillery-observation-post light helicopter which served with the British Army Air Corps between 1957 and 1967. It was powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major Type 140 piston engine, delivering 215 bhp at 2850 rpm. It had a cruising speed of 76 knots, a service ceiling of 12800 feet and a range of 160 nautical miles.
In 1957 a small number of Skeeter AOP 10s were delivered to the Army and a T.11 to the RAF and about 50 AOP 12s and T13s were delivered in 1959.
A small number of Skeeters, designated Marks 50 and 51, served in Germany. The German Army and Navy received six and four respectively, which were transferred to the Portuguese Air Force in 1961 but never flown.
Of the fifty or so Skeeters supplied to the British services, the AOP 12’s served mostly at the Army Air Corps Training School, while the RAF T13’s were allocated to the Central Flying School and to No.651 Squadron. Ten of the German Skeeters were handed over in July 1961 to the Forca Aerea Portuguesa, with whom they were still in service in 1968. Dual controls are fitted as standard in all Skeeters. During their early life various Skeeter prototypes were used to flight-test a supercharged Gipsy Major engine, a Blackburn Turmo shaft turbine, and a Napier rocket-powered tip-drive system.
With only a single crewman aboard, the Skeeter could be flown in a casualty evacuation role with a stretcher pannier supported on each side of the cabin.
Most Skeeters were replaced by Scout helicopters in 1967 and 1968 having served with four Army Air Corps Squadrons.
Most Skeeters were replaced by Scout helicopters in 1967 and 1968 having served with four Army Air Corps Squadrons.
Cierva W14 Skeeter
Weight: 1210 lb
Cierva W14 Skeeter 1
Engine: 106hp Jameson FF-1
Seats: 2
Cierva Skeeter 2
Engine: 145hp Gipsy Major 10
Cierva Skeeter 3
Engine: 145hp Gipsy Major 10
Saro Skeeter 3B
Engine: 180 bhp Bombardier 702
Rotor dia: 32 ft
Length, 31 ft. 2 in
Tail rotor: 3 blade
Gross wt: 2,100 lb
Saro Skeeter 3B
Engine: 180hp Blackburn Bombardier 702
Tail rotor: 3 blade
Saro Skeeter 4
Saro Skeeter 5
Engine: 190 b.h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier 704
Fuel capacity: 27 gallon
Auxiliary fuel: 11 gallons
Rotor: three blades
Blade weight: 45 lb
Tail rotor: 2 blade
Endurance: 3 hr
Saro Skeeter 6
Engine: Gipsy Major 30, 186 h.p.
Rotor diameter: 32 ft
Rotors: 3-blade main; 3-blade tail
Fuselage length: 28 ft 5 in
Loaded weight: 2,200 lb
Ceiling: 11,900 ft
Typical range: 260 miles at 101 mph
Seats: 2
Skeeter 6A / AOP 10
Engine: Gipsy Major 200
Skeeter 6B / Skeeter T Mk.11
Engine: Gipsy Major 200
Saro Skeeter 7A / AOP 12
Engine: de Havilland Gipsy Major Type 140, 215 bhp at 2850 rpm
Cruising speed: 76 knots
Service ceiling: 12,800 feet
Range: 160 nm
Seats: 2
Saunders Roe AOP 12 Skeeter
Engine : De Havilland Gipsy Major 200 Mk 30, 200 hp
Length: (blades folded) 28 ft 5 in
Length with rotors turning: 8.66m
Fuselage length: 26.509 ft / 8.08 m
Rotor diameter: 32 ft / 9.75 m
Height: 2.29m
Empty weight: 780kg
Max take off weight: 2200.6 lb / 998.0 kg
Max. speed: 87 kt / 162 km/h
Range: 186 nm / 345 km
Hovering ceiling, IGE: 1680m
Service ceiling: 3900m
Crew: 2
7B / T Mk.13
Engine: de Havilland Gipsy Major Type 140, 215 bhp at 2850 rpm
Skeeter 8
Skeeter Mk 50
Main rotor diameter: 9.75m
Maximum speed: 267km/h
Skeeter Mk 51
Main rotor diameter: 9.75m
Maximum speed: 267km/h
Cierva W.11 Air Horse
In September 1945 Pest Control Ltd had discussed the last possibility with Cierva and the W.11 design was modified to meet this role. As a result, Cierva received a development contract for one W.11 in July 1946, drafted to Specification E.19/46, and a second was ordered in early 1947. Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Ltd were contracted to build the two aircraft at Southampton/Eastleigh Airport under the technical and financial control of the Cierva company.
The Cierva W.11 Air Horse, built in 1948, featured three tri-bladed rotors mounted on outriggers from the fuselage and driven from a centrally-installed engine. Two prototypes were built for the British Ministry of Supply.
Power from a single Rolls-Royce Merlin 24 engine of 1208kW was transmitted through shafting to three-bladed rotors mounted on outriggers, each at the tip of a triangle. All three turned in the same direction, but their plane of rotation was sufficiently tilted to compensate for torque. Each rotor hub had a control spider which ensured cyclic and collective pitch control. The engine with its distribution gearbox to drive the rotors was situated just behind the cockpit in the fuselage. The fuselage was designed to carry twenty-four passengers in a compartment measuring 5.79 x 2.31 x 1.77 metres.
There was a tricycle landing gear, each leg of which was fitted with an oleo-pneumatic shock absorber. Twin fins were carried at the end of a mid-mounted tailplane on the rear fuselage and there was accommodation for a crew of three.
The prototype, the largest in the world at that date, made its maiden flight on 7 December 1948, but shortly after being displayed at the Farnborough Show it crashed, and work did not start on it again until the Gierva Company was taken over by Saunders Roe.
The Colonial Office made a grant of GBP45,000 to assist in the development costs since the type offered prospects of overseas use in the spraying role (total Ministry of Supply development costs were estimated at GBP350,000), but before the second W.11 had flown the first crashed on 13 June 1950, killing the three flight test crew members; the second W.11 never flew and was scrapped in 1960. The designation W.11T was allocated to a project for an enlarged W.11 with two 1208kW Rolls-Royce Merlin 502 engines and the W.12 was a projected freighter development with Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops. Neither of these materialised since by that time Cierva, not having used the number W.13, was involved in development of the W.14 which became the Skeeter and was built by Saunders-Roe Ltd.
Cierva W.11
Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce Merlin 24, 1208kW
Rotor diameter: 14.33m
Length with rotors turning: 27.0m
Width with rotors turning: 28.96m
Max take-off weight: 7938kg
Loaded weight: 5507kg
Max speed: 225km/h
Cruising speed: 153km/h
Service ceiling: 8535m
Range with max fuel: 531km
Crew: 4-5
Passengers: 24
Cierva
Juan de la Cierva was born in Murcia, Spain on September 21, 1895, and by 1908-9, had decided to make aviation his career. In 1911 he enrolled at the Civil Engineering College of Madrid (Caminos, Canales y Puertos) and in 1912 with his friends “Pepe” Barcala and Pablo Diaz constructed the first Spanish airplane, the BCD-I, known as “EI Cangrejo” – the “Red Crab”, becoming the “Father of Spanish Aviation.”
By the mid 1920s Cierva’s success became known worldwide, and he was invited to Britain to demonstrate his machines to the Air Ministry.
Transferring operations to England in 1925 and forming Cierva Autogiro Ltd. on March 24,1926 with prominent Scottish industrialist James G. Weir, his brother Viscount William Weir of Eastwood and Sir Robert M. Kindersley, Cierva continued to improve the Autogiro and in early 1929 licensed the technology and rights to his patents to Harold Frederick Pitcairn of Bryn Athyn, P A. Early models of which were based on surplus Avro 504Ks. British, French, German, American, Japanese and Russian companies built Cierva type autogiros.
Two best known craft were C.8L, first rotorcraft to fly the English Channel, and C.30A, built by A. V. Roe as Rota for RAF. Production of other Autogiros licensed by Cierva to Airwork (C.30, C. 30P); Avro (C.6, C.8, C.9, C.12, C.17, C.19, C.30A, C.30P); British Aircraft Manufacturing Co (C.40); Comper (C.25); de Havilland (C.24, C.26); George Parnall & Co. (C.10, C.11); and Westland (CL.20).
Weir formed a separate company (G. & J. Weir Ltd.) in 1933, and reestablished Cierva Company in 1944.
In 1936, Cierva was killed in the Croydon KLM airliner accident when the aircraft in which he was a passenger crashed after taking off in fog. From 1936 to 1939 James Allan Jamieson Bennett was Chief Technical Officer of the company. Dr. Bennett carried through with Cierva’s intention to offer the Royal Navy a gyrodyne, which Cierva had argued would be simpler, more reliable and efficient than the proposed helicopter. Bennett’s design, the C.41, was tendered to the Air Ministry (Specification S.22/38) but preliminary work was abandoned with the outbreak of World War II. Bennett joined Fairey Aviation in 1945, where he led the development of the Fairey FB-1 Gyrodyne.
After Second World War evolved (jointly with above company), the W.9, a two-seat helicopter using jet thrust to counteract torque. The W.11 Air Horse three-rotor design was built for Cierva by Cunliffe-Owen; designed specifically for crop-spraying, it was first flown December 8,1948. The first prototype of the Air Horse crashed killing Alan Marsh, Cierva’s manager and Chief Test Pilot John “Jeep” Cable, Ministry of Supply Chief Helicopter Test Pilot, and J. K. Unsworth the Flight Engineer. This led Weir to cease further investment in the company and its development contracts were transferred to Saunders-Roe.
The W.14 Skeeter, small two-seat helicopter, first flown October 8,1948. Both designs taken over in 1951 by Saunders-Roe, together with other Cierva projects. Company then concentrated on research; eventually reemerged as Cierva Rotorcraft Ltd, and bought up Rotorcraft Ltd. in April 1966 and Servotec Ltd. in 1968.The prototype CR.LTH-1 flew October 18,1969, but was not produced due to lack of funds.
J.Weir maintained a working association with J.S.Shapiro, and in 1961 63 Servotec built a man carrying helicopter model to embody Weir’s ideas of a non stalling rotor, which emerged from many years of model tests. In the course of this collaboration, Weir became aware of the CR Twin development and in 1965 decided to give this development financial support. This combination of interests was cemented in a take over of Rotorcraft Ltd by the Cierva Autogiro Co, which was thereupon renamed the Cierva Rotorcraft Co. The largest shareholders were Weir and Shapiro.
Cicaré 4C2T
The Cicaré 4CT2 is an Argentine air-cooled, four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, two-stroke, piston engine designed and built by Cicaré Aeronáutica as a light low cost engine. First run in 1973.
Application:
Cicaré Helicopter # 1
Cicaré CK.1
Specifications:
Type: Air-cooled four-cylinder horizontally opposed two-stroke piston engine
Bore: 74 mm (2.91 in)
Stroke: 76 mm (3.00 in)
Length: 810 mm (31.89 in)
Width: 660 mm (25.98 in)
Height: 550 mm (21.65 in)
Dry weight: 68 kg (150 lb)
Valvetrain: 1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder
Fuel system: Updraught flow-type carburettor
Fuel type: Mixture of 40 parts 80-octane to 1 part SAE40 oil
Cooling system: Air-cooled
Power output: 69 hp (67 kW) at 4,5000 rpm
Compression ratio: 7.2:1
