Fairey Rotodyne

rickshaw · February 01, 2011, 09:09:46 PM

That much is obvious but...why twin tail rotors? Seems superfluous to me.

Mossie · February 02, 2011, 04:45:29 AM

No idea. The only info I've been able to find online is those pics from Secret Projects. I would hazard a guess that such a large rotor might need more torque than is available from a single rotor, without making the tail boom even longer? Also, wouldn't the props counter the torque?

PR19_Kit · February 02, 2011, 04:55:02 AM

Quote from: rickshaw on February 01, 2011, 09:09:46 PM
That much is obvious but...why twin tail rotors? Seems superfluous to me.

Because it was a Kaman design? Did Kaman do ANYthing normal?

Stargazer · February 02, 2011, 05:13:58 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 02, 2011, 04:55:02 AM
Did Kaman do ANYthing normal?

Well, the H-2 Seasprite is fairly normal compared to the rest of his designs. And it's also the most successful of them...

rickshaw · February 02, 2011, 04:11:36 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 02, 2011, 04:55:02 AM
Quote from: rickshaw on February 01, 2011, 09:09:46 PM
That much is obvious but...why twin tail rotors? Seems superfluous to me.

Because it was a Kaman design? Did Kaman do ANYthing normal?

Didn't just usually make what was considered at one point abnormal, normal?

You know he got his start in industry designing and licensing those designs for various high-lift devices for use on conventional wings? Many of his designs for leading edge slats and flaps are still in use. Before he introduced them, most aircraft designers thought they too were abnormal...

PR19_Kit · February 02, 2011, 05:31:47 PM

Could well be right, but when you see a Huskie fly past it NEVER looks normal, not in the slightest!

rickshaw · February 02, 2011, 07:31:29 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 02, 2011, 05:31:47 PM
Could well be right, but when you see a Huskie fly past it NEVER looks normal, not in the slightest!

I agree. Some things were just never meant to fly and defy the laws of physics and god! Those intermeshing rotor systems are one of them! I'm too young to have ever seen a Huskie flying but I suppose I might get the chance with the K-Max. Weird thing!

Stargazer · February 03, 2011, 04:38:15 AM

Quote from: rickshaw on February 02, 2011, 07:31:29 PM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 02, 2011, 05:31:47 PM
Could well be right, but when you see a Huskie fly past it NEVER looks normal, not in the slightest!

I agree. Some things were just never meant to fly and defy the laws of physics and god! Those intermeshing rotor systems are one of them! I'm too young to have ever seen a Huskie flying but I suppose I might get the chance with the K-Max. Weird thing!

Well, an egg-beater also uses intermeshing blades, and no-one deems it abnormal!!!

rickshaw · February 03, 2011, 04:54:28 AM

Quote from: Stargazer2006 on February 03, 2011, 04:38:15 AM
Well, an egg-beater also uses intermeshing blades, and no-one deems it abnormal!!!

They certainly do if they see one flying through the air!

rickshaw · February 04, 2011, 06:00:37 AM

Just got the Gibbings book on the Rotodyne delivered today. I see what is meant by a "beavertail door" on the stern and it is not what I'd imagined! It has a bottom and a top opening half whereas I'd imagined a ramp rather like the Chinook or Hercules. Excellent book though. Loads of info in there!

Mossie · February 04, 2011, 07:07:13 AM

It's good isn't it??? At first I thought it answered just about any question you could have on the Rotodyne, although I've since thought of a few it doesn't. Tons of info on both the Y & the Z, as well as the Gyrodyne/Jet Gyrodyne & Ultralight. If your still planning on building the Z, it provides just about all you'd need.

Yeah, that 'beaver' tail is quite different to most transport aircraft. The book doesn't go into why the decision was made to go with this tail. One thing that I was very glad to see is the design of the nine tipjet & silencer assembly that was likely to equip the final version. That & military & differing civil layouts are very helpful.

PR19_Kit · February 04, 2011, 11:30:36 AM

The 'dyne Z beaver-tail is pretty much a smaller version of the one on the military Argosy, split horizontally and opening both up and downwards.

The bottom half could be stopped in mid-transit to meet a truck bed, or lowered all the way to the ground so things could be wheeled or driven in. What the 'dyne Z doesn't have is the big blister on the top of the fuselage just forward of the upper door. I'm not sure what that was for on the Argosy, could have been aerodynamic or something to house the folding linkage.

rickshaw · February 04, 2011, 09:12:37 PM

I think the way things are going, I'm going to be building an "inspired by" Rotodyne Z, rather than a Z itself. The Beavertail is I suspect more aerodynamic but not what I like in a transport aircraft/helicopter. Now, where can I find a set of Tyne engines nacelles? Anybody know of a resin aftermarket set?

PR19_Kit · February 05, 2011, 12:35:09 AM

You're following my planned scheme of things with a later mark 'dyne....

I'm using the engines from a Heller Bobcat Transall C-160, cheap and available at a car boot sale near you, mine cost 50p! That's a LOT of plastic for 50p....

That's if they have car boot sales in your neck of the woods of course.

rickshaw · February 05, 2011, 05:54:29 AM

I've been considering that path as well. My problem is finding a set of rotors large enough. The Type Z had a rotor diameter of ~33 metres. Thats ~450mm(!). I was thinking of using some 1/48 scale ones but haven't found any. I might have to roll my own. The rotorhead is another problem. Again, I fear I'll have to roll my own.