Fairey Rotodyne

The Fairey Rotodyne was a 1950s British compound gyroplane designed and built by Fairey Aviation for commercial and military applications. A development of the earlier Gyrodyne which had established a world helicopter speed record, the Rotodyne featured a tip-jet-powered rotor that burned a mixture of fuel and compressed air bled from two wing-mounted Napier Eland turboprops. The rotor was driven for vertical takeoffs, landings and hovering, as well as low-speed translational flight, and autorotated during cruise flight with all engine power applied to two propellers. The Rotodyne was used as a passenger aircraft by civilian operators and as a transport, heavy-lift aircraft and attack aircraft by military operators including the Royal Air Force and Irish Air Force.

UsersEdit

• Australia
  • Royal Australian Air Force
• British Empire
  • Royal Air Force
  • Royal Navy
• Canada
  • Canadian Coast Guard
  • Royal Canadian Air Force
• Republic of China
  • Republic of China Air Force
• Iran
  • Republic of Iran Air Force
• Ireland
  • Irish Air Force
• West Japan
  • Republic of Japan Air Force
• Netherlands
  • Royal Netherlands Air Force
  • Royal Netherlands Navy
• New Zealand
  • Royal New Zealand Air Force