The Flettner Fl 185 was an experimental German gyrodyne developed by Anton Flettner, a machine which could fly both as a helicopter and as a gyroplane.

Fl 185
Role Autogyro/helicopter
Manufacturer Flettner
Designer Anton Flettner
First flight 1936
Number built 1

Design and development

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This aircraft was developed in 1936 with support of the Kriegsmarine. It was powered by a 160 horsepower (120 kW) BMW-Bramo Sh 14 A radial piston engine with forced-air cooling, mounted at the nose. The engine drove a 12 m diameter main rotor and two auxiliary propellers mounted on outriggers attached to the fuselage.

At take-off or when hovering, the auxiliary propellers worked in opposition to each other and served to cancel the torque of the main rotor,[1] a function handled by a single, variable-pitch tail rotor on contemporary helicopters. In forward flight, however, both propellers worked to provide forward thrust while the rotor autorotated, as in a twin-engined autogyro.[1] The landing gear consisted of a nose-wheel, two smaller stabilising wheels under the outriggers and a tail skid. Only one prototype was constructed.

Specifications (Fl 185)

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Data from [2]

General characteristics

  • Powerplant: 1 × Bramo 314C 7-cyl air-cooled radial piston engine, 110 kW (150 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: 1 3-bladed × 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
  • Main rotor area: 113.112 m2 (1,217.53 sq ft)
  • Propellers: 2 x 2 bladed-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propellers

Performance

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Ford, Roger (2013). Germany's Secret Weapons of World War II. London, United Kingdom: Amber Books. p. 224. ISBN 9781909160569.
  2. ^ "Flettner Fl 185". Retrieved 20 December 2012.

References

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Further reading

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  • Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Nowarra, Heinz J. (1985). Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5464-4.