(Vanity) Need help finding info on a 1960's experimental helicopter (jets with rotors)

me | 5-13-16 | Ak267

[ak267]

Years ago, I viewed a documentary on experimental helicopters and saw a craft that caught my attention.

The craft was a hybrid of 4 mini-jets (two on each side), stubby wings, rotors with a boxcar-like appearance. Not sure if it was made by Bell or Sikorsky and it was an experimental "proof of concept".

Meant to be a "taxi" shuttling passengers on short suburban/urban routes or to nearby cities.

Anyone know the name of this vehicle?

[Robert DeLong]

World's weirdest planes: State-of-the-art aircraft that came with a sky high price tag... but how did they ever get off the ground?

Probably not what you are looking for, but some interesting flying machines nonetheless.

[Aliska]

It sounds like it could be some kind of jet assisted takeoff vehicle (JATO). I never knew specifics of those, just that there were development bids being solicited by the military. I thought the purpose was for planes to take off vertically, not cars.

Could be way off, just popped in my head by what you said. Now it sounds somewhat like drones minus the jets.

There is some kind of prototype of a rocket car according to that model I found by googling.

[JBW1949]

I don’t know about helos with minijets, but check Scorpion Helicopters...

[PAR35]

This what you are looking for? Used pusher blades instead of jet thrust for propulsion, but used jet thrust for the rotor.

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/fairey_jet.php
Fairey “Jet Gyrodyne”
1953

[phormer phrog phlyer]

Look up jet tip rotors or helicopters, there were several that tried this system as there was no need for antitorque, tail rotor. They tended to be loud and complex, the first Hughes helicopter was a very large one.

[JBW1949]

http://www.helistart.com/helicopters/Rotorway/Scorpion_RW133_II

[Flick Lives]

Sounds like the Fairey Rotodyne. Technically an auto gyro which used jet powered pods to spin up the blades. The tip jets produced an ear piercing 106dB, which I'm sure made it exciting fr the passengers.

[ak267]

lands and ascends like a helicopter with its central rotor but once in the air it activates the jets.

[tophat9000]

if you’re talking Jets on the tip of the rotor that Pulse Jets so look up Pulse Jet helicopter.

[ak267]

similar except it was smaller/shorter and didn’t have wing rotor....just a central rotor with the jets attached to the sides of the fuselage (2 per side grouped together).

[Despot of the Delta]

I think in the 80’s it was called Airwolf...lol

[Aliska]

That was the idea; I didn't know the jets were actuated after takeoff. Four jets would provide stability (if they all fired).

tophat, that would be another practical application for the jets; I remember specifically the acronym JATO and it was for planes like on ship runways or on jungle airstrips, short runways.

[ebshumidors]

You can make anything work, but would you put your son in it?

[Spirit of Liberty]

Ok, here's my entry: Mil V-12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_V-12

[PLMerite]

There was the Hiller:

[Unrepentant VN Vet]

This is roughly what you describe although it dates from the mid-70’s. Other than that, it was a Sikorsky and you can read the attached article for further description.

Sikorsky S-72 Rotor System Research Aircraft
http://www.sikorskyarchives.com/S-72%20%28RSRA%29.php

[UCANSEE2]

Pulse Jet. On the ground..

[Aliska]

I think I conflated JATO with your concept. On google images, JATO was used for non-vertical takeoff jet planes. One design for Blue Angels uses it, but it was in the 80's.

I shouldn't chime in when I only have a dim memory of new technology years ago. I never saw an engineering drawing for it.

[UCANSEE2]