known company designation early american twin helicopter built pennsylvania winner design competition held early helicopter tested flying flight testing proved troublesome continued testing showed design promise improved helicopters available ready service result development aircraft terminated design development developed earlier unsuccessful design winner design competition held terms logan act supply helicopter design submission judged army superior competitors included helicopter submitted developed following selection design contract construction prototype static test airframe issued july year contract specified delivery flying prototype january aircraft completed months later contract schedule delay led receiving funding development design design bore strong resemblance helicopter developed germany flown impressed founder tour europe powered radial engine mounted buried installation fuselage aircraft bladed mounted arrangement wing like designed produce lift forwards flight slightly unloading construction conventional standards time aircraft frame consisting steel tube framework covered fabric tail surfaces similar conventional aircraft equipped fixed landing gear aircraft wheels freely easier maneuvering ground cockpit seated aircraft crew members tandem arrangement pilot located ahead observer extensively provide good visibility aircraft intended observation army operation role development aircraft major general proposed evaluated operational history following months ground testing conducted maiden flight aircraft restrained early flights june aircraft conducted free flight albeit remaining feet ground flight testing continued aircraft performance envelope expanded quickly proved troublesome testing showing variety troubles design included issues aircraft controls insufficient control authority present addition resonance issues airframe prone pilot induced aircraft modified attempt resolve issues army modified contract provide additional funding improvements design despite problems continued addition company test pilot lacked confidence design refusing fly aircraft potential situation resolved colonel director wing projects flew aircraft reaching mph flight aircraft worst aircraft problems believed resolved submitted service testing course army failed structural testing surfaces strengthened result testing following repairs resuming despite modifications design proved control authority july program suffered setback aircraft crashed seriously injuring test pilot replaced following dismissal company crash caused inspector error leaving suspect aircraft hub failing flight result decision aircraft year ready fly testing able continue meantime negotiated contract cover second flight test aircraft built revised improved version design designated second aircraft flown time featured revised cockpit covering compared area increased improved visibility pilot observer positions reversed pilot seated rear cockpit flight testing found superior flight performance controls proving troublesome worst bugs worked following cross country flight ohio pennsylvania plant testing continued mechanical failure hub led crash landing october company deciding sell wreckage scrap having repaired meantime flying contract awarded construction seven pre production aircraft built improved version design designated motivated congressional concerns potential meantime given contract development improved version experimental helicopter contract called delivery army january continued financial flight testing problems proved incapable meeting schedule problems approaching resolution late protracted development aircraft meant alternative improved helicopters expensive aircraft available addition improvements failed cure aircraft control vibration problems considered company work applying hit miss method research development result assessment army contracts company universally cancelled early april following cancellation army contract returned company believing design potential civilian aircraft planned civilian version enlarged twin engined aircraft financial difficulty following cancellation army contract mid flight test program concluded aircraft retired meantime company test pilot purchased wreckage price cents pound formed new company intending provide helicopter flight training anticipation postwar aviation boom returned flying condition projected boom failed hat quickly entered bankruptcy selling employee started helicopter company soon grounded aircraft concerns airframe development planned failed proceed mock stage survivors following conclusion flight testing returned placed aircraft storage aircraft stored remarkable condition variants prototype built second prototype increased cockpit improved engine built seven pre production aircraft ordered contract cancelled completed proposed armed variant fitted machine guns nose proposed utility mail single seat helicopter proposed place civil helicopter partially built proposed based airframe built operators data connor lee general characteristics crew pilot observer length wingspan height gross weight powerplant radial engine main diameter performance maximum speed mph disk loading power mass
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