I guess the Irvin-Bell Helicopter Sales was connected to the Irvin Air Chute Company of Letchworth makers of ( they claimed) 99.9% of all parachutes supplied to the RAF during the WW2.
Plenty of space around Letchworth at that time to keep a helicopter!
I guess the Irvin-Bell Helicopter Sales was connected to the Irvin Air Chute Company of Letchworth makers of ( they claimed) 99.9% of all parachutes supplied to the RAF during the WW2.
Yes, it was a collaboration between Scottish Aviation and Irvin Air Chute, this is from Flight, Sept 25th 1947, p 347
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flight, Sept 25th 1947, p 347
AT the end of August a new company, Irvin-Bell Helicopter Sales, Ltd., which has been formed to "keep the United Kingdom in the closest possible touch with helicopter development," gave its first demonstration of the Bell 47B to a small but important gathering at Prestwick Airport, location of the company's engineering and training division. Last Thursday, September 18th, another demonstration was given at Hanworth airfield and was attended by senior representatives of the Services, Ministries, Corporations and industry. The machine was put through its paces by "Jimmy" Youell, who finally placed it precisely on the lawn of the Hanworth Park Hotel which had been very appropriately chosen as a meeting place for the occasion. Irvin-Bell Helicopter Sales, Ltd. has resulted from the collaboration of Scottish Aviation, Ltd., with Mr. Leslie L. Irvin, founder of the Irving Air Chute Company, and the directors are the four of Scottish Aviation, namely, the Duke of Hamilton, Sir Ernest Lemon, Mr. D. F. Mclntyre and the Earl of Selkirk, together with Mr. Leslie Irvin, Captain Cyril Turner and Captain A. B. H. Youell of the Irving Air Chute Co. The head offices of the company are at Ickneild Way, Letchworth, Herts.
I thought I may pick some collective brains. Some time after my father died I discovered by accident in a search a patent in his and Andrew Dalrymple's (of Chilton monoplane fame) name. The original link was a PDF doc with diagrams but it now appears broken. Have found another which starts with:
" Abstract of GB573127 573,127. Helicopters. DALRYMPLE, A. W. H., and LINDSLEY, F. Dec. 3, 1943, Nos. 20265/43 and 4326/44. [Class 4] A helicopter of the type in which the sustaining rotor is positively driven by a prime mover about an upright axis transverse to the fuselage, is controlled in flight by a thrust-producing device, such as an airscrew or reaction jet, located at the tail of the machine and mounted in such a way that the line of thrust can be set at varying angles.."
Yet another brilliant photo. The hangar in the background is as interesting as the a/c. Sad to read the hangar is no longer there, dismantled in the 1960s apparently, on the instructions of Ayub Khan the then President of Pakistan. It was his contribution to saving the country's aviation heritage.
The Bonanza was HB-EBF, an early -- and then very new -- 'straight' Model 35. It took part in the Lympne Air Races 30-31 August 1947, owner/pilot M. Deckert placing fourth in the three-lap Folkestone Aero Trophy at 155.5 mph behind a BA Swallow, Tipsy B and the late great Ranald Porteous in Chilton G-AFSV. Wonderful pictures!
Just chanced upon this thread...that Chilton Olympia glider had it's first flight on the exact day the Moley was emerging, mewling and puking no doubt, into the brave new post-war world.... I share my birthday with an aircraft!! And it's a lot prettier than I am, too. Photos are splendid....very evocative.
