Fairey Rotodyne

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Purely speculative, Fairey Rotodyne HC1, No18 Sqn RAF.  Airfix 1/72 scale. Sadly the real aircraft never went into service due to several technical issues and lack of interest by the British government and several potential customers. The main technical problems, (noise from the Rotor Tip Jets being one of them) were virtually solved by the time the plug was pulled. Sadly the aircraft was broken up. Just one fuselage frame and part of the rotor head remains at the Helicopter Museum in Weston Super Mare. This model is based on the RAFs middle east colours of the mid 1960s and 70s. Thanks for looking.

 

 

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

I'm sorry, that plane should have been made. What a fantastic thing! 18,000 lb payload and 190kts puts it in competition with the CH47 and CH-53.

And that's not counting the COOL factor....a sky plied by these would have looked a lot more Buck Rodgers/Futuresque.

 

I would definitely be using it in Airhauler if there was a payware available of it...DEVS!!!! GET ON IT!!!

 

I imagine plumbing the fuel and electrical controls to the rotor jets must have been a tricky feat of engineering...would love to see details of that.

 

Really nice job on your model Alan! Thanks for the look and bringing this beasty to mah attentions.

 

Regrettably, a quick search so far hasn't found anything with a "decent" VC that works in FSX...can't fly with a 2D panel...will have to hope a dev makes this one.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Captain Coffee

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

There is one around for FS9( not all that brilliant tbh either) but not FSX sadly. I agree with you that a decent one should be developed. Just imagine the colour schemes that could be stuck on it! Would make a great CoD aircraft for the US Navy! .......and ours for that matter! 

Edited November 15, 2016 by dodgy-alan

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

I asked MilViz very nicely to make one. Actually think they would be perfect Dev for it, they have a mix of vintage warbirds and helicopters, even my favorite AH Heli the CH-47 is by them. They also make brilliant gritty VCs. I was flying their E55 Baron tonight in AH tonight...I forgot to change the zulu time for my adhoc pax flight, and only had the VC to look at for 150 miles...I didn't mind at all. 

[brett 2,316]

Interesting craft  Alan, thanks for the look. Like Matt I think it's a shame it never caught on, it flew solid from what I saw on the video.

[mike H 456]

Nice one Alan takes me back to the late 50's and 60's cycling through Hayes to Heathrow to do abit of plane spotting.  I heard a very loud engine noise coming from the Fairey factory , it was the Rotodyne  taking off what a sight and very noisy too. Another british aircraft that was dumped.

That would be a great addon to put in my  FSX hangar.

Cheers Mike

Edited November 18, 2016 by mike H

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I took her to the Aviation Fair and Model Show at AAC Middle Wallop over the weekend as part of our club display and got a lot of positive comments and interest. One guy who spoke to us turned out to be an ex Fairey employee who had worked on the real one! We were chatting to him for a good half hour and he was a really interesting guy to talk to. He loved my interpretation of his project! 

[brett 2,316]

Small world, one good thing about the folks in aviation is that they love to talk about it.