Strange helicopter at Redhill?

[Sir George Cayley]

Can anyone help with a half remembered trip to Redhill last century?

There was a hangar in front of which was parked a small helicopter. It was remarkable as it was small, painted all white and had a tall mast with what appeared to be contra rotating blades one set above the other.

The name over the door was (I think) Rotortech or similar.

Any clues as to what I saw and where it is now?

Many thanks, Sir George Cayley

[treadigraph]

Servotec Grasshopper G-AWRP, now at the Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare. Remember it in a shed near Bristows' hangar at Redhill in the late 70s. There was a forerunner, G-ARVN, which I think was also stored there.

Edit: quick bit of research reveals two further Grasshopper IIIs also at THM, along with 'WRP and 'RVN. I seem to recall they were in that shed too, but rather less complete. Probably in the buildings now occupied by Redhill Aviation.

[ken knight]

Helicopter at Redhill

I remember this machine hovering across the airfield at Redhill when I worked at Bristow Redhill in the 1970/71 years and before I moved to Aberdeen late 1971. If I remember it went on fire during some trials and this was just before it was scheduled to be shown at Farnborough. Might worth posting this on Rotorheads forum as many of the ex BHL guys who were at Redhill may remember this.
If memory serves me Doug West worked on this machine before crossing the grass to BHL.

[chevvron]

I remember the later model performing at Farnborough before I was posted there so it must have been either '68 or '70; I'm sure it was accredited to Cierva Rotorcaft.

[treadigraph]

Managed to locate British Civil Aircraft Vols I -III (simples, look on bookshelves - had thought they were currently in a box with most of my other aviation books due to decorating!) and gleaned the following: the Grasshopper 1 was developed for Rotorcraft Ltd by Servotec Ltd. The Grasshopper IIIs were built by Cierva as the CR LTH-1 Grasshopper 3 in conjunction with with Servo-Tec Ltd.

Would have been Farnborough 1970 - 'WRP and 'XFM both flew in 1969 apparently.

[John Farley]

Yes WRP is on the list of aircraft that flew at F in the 1970 show

[chevvron]

Pity the concept never caught on; I see the Americans recently re-invented it.(but haven't the Russians used it - Kamov 'Harp'?)

[Sir George Cayley]

Thank you Tredders - memory restored, it was 'RP

Now if I can find by old Ian Allen CAM book I'll tick it off

Sir George Cayley

[Agaricus bisporus]

Eek! Which bit of the concept? Not twin piston engines, I hope!