Gyroplanes for ground attack/support
'He said that the original nose fairing for his autogyro was the nosecone from a V1 flying bomb.' (ex82watcher)
Never heard that one! The fuselage fairing later was moulded from a Hunter Drop tank , whenever it was fitted.
I did ten minutes hilarious dual with Ken in the two seater Wa116T (aka Wa117 at that time,) before he sent me off solo in a Wa116
There was a variety of engines in these Autogiros, culminating in the c. 80 hp Weslake , before the Wallis project was finally wound up by Vintens in 1986.........
Never heard that one! The fuselage fairing later was moulded from a Hunter Drop tank , whenever it was fitted.
I did ten minutes hilarious dual with Ken in the two seater Wa116T (aka Wa117 at that time,) before he sent me off solo in a Wa116
There was a variety of engines in these Autogiros, culminating in the c. 80 hp Weslake , before the Wallis project was finally wound up by Vintens in 1986.........
Last edited by Haraka; 12th Jan 2024 at 05:05.
Fred drift...
The Walbro replica built by Ken Wallis used to reside at the excellent air museum at Flixton near Bungay (with Little Nellie I believe) where they built a hangar especially to hold his entire collection of aircraft which I understand he bequeathed to them. Unfortunately a family wrangle ensued, the aircraft were taken back and his precious gyroplane collection and invaluable archives never arrived. A very sad loss.
https://www.aviationmuseum.net/KenWallis.htm
The Walbro replica built by Ken Wallis used to reside at the excellent air museum at Flixton near Bungay (with Little Nellie I believe) where they built a hangar especially to hold his entire collection of aircraft which I understand he bequeathed to them. Unfortunately a family wrangle ensued, the aircraft were taken back and his precious gyroplane collection and invaluable archives never arrived. A very sad loss.
https://www.aviationmuseum.net/KenWallis.htm
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It actually looked like a couple of Me163s flew over at the beginning
I guess they were hang gliders maybe?
I guess they were hang gliders maybe?
'Were entering' or 'entered' perhaps. Many more than I had imagined.
I met Ken Wallis back in 1988 at RAF Gatow, where he'd brought Little Nell, or one of his machines, for the open day there to mark the 40th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift and "Operation Plainfare". I've met a few famous people in and out of the RAF, but never felt compelled to request an autograph, apart from once. One of the Falcons at the Church Fenton SSAFA air display in 1975, I won't name him, although he was quite agreeable at the time. He was stationed at RAF Boulmer in 1978/80, as was I, he was a PTI, I wasa Scopie. I recognised him during a Sand Grouse, and found out what a rather more disagreeable individual he could be. Nothing to to with being a no nonsense NCO, more to do with being a rather selfish jump to conclusions type!
FB
FB
Salute!
Best one I saw was the gyro thing that was your ejection seat!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaman_KSA-100_SAVER
and......: https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...-seat-history/
Seems there might also have been an unpowered version that was still better than coming straight down in a village of angry farmers as one of my classmates did near Hanoi.
OTOH, a small gyro might be useful as a FAC vehicle that could be airdopped.
Gum sends...
Best one I saw was the gyro thing that was your ejection seat!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaman_KSA-100_SAVER
and......: https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...-seat-history/
Seems there might also have been an unpowered version that was still better than coming straight down in a village of angry farmers as one of my classmates did near Hanoi.
OTOH, a small gyro might be useful as a FAC vehicle that could be airdopped.
Gum sends...
I met Ken Wallis at Ipswich Airport in the summer of 1973. I was there for an RAF Flying Scholarship and was intrigued by the arrival of a gold Rolls Royce (!) towing a trailer which carried his auto gyro (I can’t remember which one). A couple of us young students chatted to him for quite some time. He told us he was there for some flight trials and was later seen flying around in the airfield overhead for quite some time.
