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Old 21st Nov 2005, 21:45
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SilsoeSid

Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
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Last remaining parts I believe are at The Helicopter Museum at Weston super Mare.



As you can see, the odd part here and there and when I was last there ages ago, I think they had a blade.
Unfortunately AFAIR everything was destroyed when the project was cancelled.



The British are good at that!


SS


edited to add;


click on pic

Fairey Rotodyne, XE521, C/n. F.9429.
The Fairey Rotodyne was the culmination of more than 15 years research into compound or convertible helicopters made by the Fairey Aviation Company. Early trials were carried out between 1947 and 1956 and XE521 was built in 1957 at Hayes, Middlesex as a prototype large compound helicopter, powered by two Napier Eland turboshaft engines. Following several weeks of ground tests it first flew at White Waltham on 6th November 1957, but did not complete the first full transition from vertical to cruise flight until April 1958. On 5th January 1959 XE521 set up a new convertiplane class (E2) speed record of 307.22 kph (190.9 mph) in the 100 km (62 mile) closed circuit category. The Rotodyne failed to secure any firm orders and the project was cancelled in 1962. The aircraft last flew on 26th January 1962 and was then cut up and scrapped at RAE Farnborough. The museum located a number of major components including an Eland engine, a complete test rotor blade, and several tip jets. These components were airlifted to Weston-super-Mare by an RAF Chinook helicopter. After a long period in storage, repair and restoration of the various parts began in 1995 and was completed in 1996. The Helicopter Museum holds the only remaining major components of the Fairey Rotodyne prototype.

Last edited by SilsoeSid; 21st Nov 2005 at 22:16.
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