Berliner
Helicopter
Mr. Emile Berliner began experimenting with vertical flight aircraft in the early 1900's, with a successful recorded tethered flight around 1909.
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He and his son Henry developed one of the first successful helicopters in the early 20's. It was based on a Neuport 23 fuselage, and utilized two counter-rotating main roters, one attached to each wing tip.
Reports indicate it could maneuver in all directions and could obtain a forward speed of about 40 mph.
The main rotar blades were controlled by differential braking, and later had aelirons on the trailing edge of the main rotar blades to control pitch.
It was successfully demonstrated to the US Army in 1924, with several free flights at College Park, Md. Airport.
An example was in storage at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum's Silver Hill Facility, in Maryland, USA and is now on display at the College Park Aviation Museum since 1998.
Emile was the inventor of the flat phonograph record and founder of the Victor Company - later to become RCA.
Henry was the founder of Berliner Aircraft Company, - (later Berliner-Joyce Aircraft Co, which became part of North American Aviation in the early 30's) - and founder of Engineering Research Corporation, Riverdale, Maryland- producer of the Ercoupe.
Contribution:
Harry Francis
The Virtual Hangar
Related links:
College Park Aviation Museum
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