Firth FH-1

1952


Experimental helicopter built around the fuselage of an unusual fixed-wing aircraft, the 1948 Planet Satellite, with a light alloy semi-monocoque structure. It had a three-blade rigid rotor and tricycle landing gear. It was abandoned before flight testing due to financial and technical difficulties. The engine was a 146hp Gipsy Major.


G.Apostolo "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters", 1984


In 1951 Firth Helicopters Ltd - the firm, which has now ceased to operate, started to build a prototype helicopter using a rotor system based on American patents held by Landgraf.

FH-1

This helicopter was built round the fuselage of the unorthodox 1948 aircraft Planet Satellite. The latter was small, of monocoque construction in an extremely light magnesium-zirconium alloy, and fitted at the end of its tail with a pusher airscrew driven by an engine through an extension shaft.

The FH-1 had two three-bladed, non-articulated type rotors, mounted on outriggers and based on Landgraf patents. There was a tricycle landing gear.

This helicopter was abandoned before it ever flew because of financial and technical difficulties, the latter mainly connected with the forepart, which proved excessively heavy.


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