first helicopter

[widgeon]

Why is it that most people in the united states regard the first helicopter to fly as the Sikorsky ?. the Focke Achgellis FW61 flew in 1936 some 4 years before the first free flight of the VS300. Does the fact that this was a side by side configuration make it any less of a helicopter ?. I agree entirely that the first succesful production helicopter was a Sikorsky and the side by side configuration was a dead end.
What do you all think.
http://www.flight100.org/history/helicopter.html for a link confirming the dates.

[Larry]

Your right about the FW-61 but there were helicopters even before the FW-61.I think the FW-61 was the 1st to have been refined to the point of truly controlled flight.

And wasn`t the Flettner 282 the 1st true operational helicopter with the Sikorsky R-4 following within a few months ?

[The Nr Fairy]

A video if the F61 in flight can be found at www.helis.com/default (http://www.helis.com/default) then choosing "Movies" from the menu on the left hand side.

[SPS]

The first manned, untethered flight of a Helicopter was made in a machine designed
and flown by Frenchman Paul Cornu in 1907.

Whilst the Helicopter is widley held to be 'invented' by Leonardo Da Vinci (circa 1490 AD) recent research suggests that it was envisioned much eariler by a Chinese named Kung Ho (320 AD)

SPS. Why is 'abbreviation' such a long word?

[widgeon]

Thanks for the link Nr Fairy , I will go back there often.