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Book Review:
The Fairey Rotodyne - a plane before it's time; too much too soon.
By Eur Ing David Gibbings CEng FraeS

Test cell at Boscombe Down

A superb book, the first on the subject, has recently been published featuring this ground-breaking aircraft, it's author, David Gibbings, having been actively involved in the project from day one.

Firstly, the subject; The Fairey Rotodyne was a large compound helicopter, and a very bold concept intended for eventual production as a 65-seat, 53,500lb VTOL airliner. It utilised the combined technology of both a helicopter and an autogiro, with tip-jet driven rotor blades for take off and landing and stub wing mounted engines that took over for sustained forward flight. Lift was shared 50/50 by the rotor blades (tip jets switched off and operating like an autogiro) and the stub wings and initially designed to achieve forward speeds of up to 200-mph.

Initially (1950) a 20-seat version was on the drawing board powered by two Rolls Royce Dart engines, followed in 1951 by a 40-seat version powered by three Mamba engines. By 1952 the ship emerged with two Darts and two, unnamed de Havilland engines and finally in 1953, it metamorphosed into the prototype with two Elands and 40 seats. Following many tethered trials in various rigs, it finally flew freely on 6th November 1957 (XE521 msn F9429) and until 10th April 1958, all flights were made in helicopter mode, but on that day the first transition to forward flight was achieved.

Former Fairey-Rotodyne employees

The prototype went on to set several records that included the 100km close-circuit record, in which it achieved a speed of 190.91mph (307km/h), that stood until 1961. In June 1959, this prototype ventured overseas, flying from London to Brussels (halving the time of conventional services), then to Issy Heliport in France on it's way to take part in the Paris Air show at le Bourget. This was followed by a demonstration to a group of NATO officials at Versailles on it's way back to London.

Display panel at book signing event

Such was the interest generated by these flights, that Kaman Aircraft Corporation signed a licensing agreement for the production, sales and service in the USA. New York Airways signed a letter of intent for five. Okanagan Helicopters and even Japan Airlines signed up, with strong interest being shown by various potential military customers. Despite all this, following the take-over by Westland's, non-Westland products started to suffer and this lead to the death knoll for the aircraft on 26th February 1962, and, as was the usual outcome of ministry programmes that had been aborted or completed, any hardware had to be broken up. The only visible parts of the Rotodyne remaining are at the Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-Mare, a sad end to an aircraft before it's time.

David Gibbings, signing books for John Fairey

The author: Eur Ing David Gibbings CEng FraeS , started his professional involvement with aviation when he joined the Royal Air Force in May 1949 as an engineering apprentice, working on Spitfires, Mosquitoes and the odd Meteor. He subsequently trained as a navigator, but finding no vacancies apparent for this role, and with an expanding interest outside of the service, David left the RAF and in 1955, joined Fairey Aviation as a flight test navigator, where he became involved in the testing of air-to-air guided weapons.

This employed him through to 1956, when David transferred to Fairey's Aircraft Division at Hayes / White Waltham (UK) as a propulsion development engineer, working at the test bed facility for the Rotodyne tip jets, where his duties also led him to occasionally fly in the Rotodyne prototype as Flight Engineer.

Upon the unfortunate demise of the innovative Rotodyne, he was transferred to the Flight Test Department, working on Scout & Wasp helicopters as well as the fixed-wing Gannet AEW aircraft. This was followed by a move to the Flight Test Development Department at Yeovil to continue work on both helicopter and fixed-wing projects, leading to the appointment to Project Test Engineer for the Lynx project in 1967. He eventually flew with the prototype on it's first flight. Ten years later, he was appointed Helicopter Icing Trials manager and three years further down the line, was appointed Deputy Chief Flight Engineer.

The post of Chief Flight Test Engineer following in 1989, a post he held until his retirement from Westland in 1993. It was during his involvement in the field of flight testing, that David was awarded the 'Kelly Johnson Award' for outstanding achievement in the field of flight test engineering by the Society of Flight Test Engineers, it being the first time that this prestigious award had been awarded outside of the USA.

An accomplished and renown artist, David spends a very busy retirement painting, delivering numerous presentations on the Rotodyne and as a consultant. All the more remarkable as he is a sufferer of Parkinson's Disease, and as such is a testimony to what one can achieve despite this debilitating illness.

This remarkable book: A story told by someone who was there and involved, a unique aircraft and a unique man, coming together in the production and content of this book. 'Fairey Rotodyne', published by History Press (ISBN0752449168) is available from the usual on-line outlets.

There has never been a book on the Rotodyne until now, a shortfall that David successfully addressed. Beginning with general early aircraft developments then onto an emerging rotorcraft genre. The book goes into detail of how this emerging concept developed into the earliest formation of the Rotodyne idea, covering from drawing board through proof of concept airframes (see Jet Gyrodyne in a previous issue of this magazine) and onto the Rotodyne itself.

It was interesting to read the various parts of the aircraft's testing, the running rig at Boscombe Down and shake down test in 1958 for example as well as the photographs that accompanied the same. The eye is drawn to what appears to be primitive by today's standards, but this was the late 1950s and ground breaking at that time.
The coverage of the aircraft's testing I found to be both extremely interesting and extensive in detail, right up to that sad day in 1962 and an insight into why David thought the cancellation came about.

Footnote: I am reminded of a second hand quote passed onto me at the Hofstra University 'From Autogyro to Gyroplane' conference in New York back in April 2003. A high ranking army general, having just watched the short film that survives of the Rotodyne, allegedly said ''I want a dozen of those right away !!, where can I buy them ?.'' He was astounded to discover that it was 1950 - 1960s and the project was scrapped in 1962, as this was just what they needed today.

Ron Bartlett
Internatioal Autogiro 1/4ly
ron@autogyro.flyer.co.uk

Editor's note: Personal contact with David Gibbings has shown me a highly accomplished individual with talents extending into the art world. We have three prints from David's body of art work and prize them highly.
Further, David is an ex-ample of what I would call a gentleman of the highest class and both Kathy and I know ourselves lucky to count David and his wife, Mary, as friends. Stu        eh@iwvisp.com