Bensen B-8

Last updated

B-8
Bensengyrocopter001 (cropped).jpg
General information
TypeRecreational autogyro
National originUnited States
Manufacturer Bensen or homebuilt
Designer
History
First flight6 December 1955 [1]

The Bensen B-8 is a small, single-seat autogyro developed in the United States in the 1950s. Although the original manufacturer stopped production in 1987, plans for homebuilders are still available as of 2019.[ needs update ] Its design was a refinement of the Bensen B-7, and like that aircraft, the B-8 was initially built as an unpowered rotor-kite. It first flew in this form in 1955, and on 6 December a powered version, designated B-8M (M for motorised) first flew. The design proved to be extremely popular and long-lasting, with thousands of sets of plans sold over the next thirty years.

Contents

Design and development

The B-8's design is extremely minimalist, with not much more to the aircraft than a pilot's seat, a single tailfin, a rotor, and (in powered versions) the powerplant. In May 1968 a B-8 and B-8M were studied by the USAF under the Discretionary Descent Vehicle (DDV) program as the X-25B and X-25A respectively. In this scheme, it was proposed to integrate combat aircraft ejection seats with a small autogyro or rotor kite to allow downed pilots more control over their post-ejection landing spot. The X-25A and X-25B were used to evaluate the piloting and training requirements of the autogyros. No full-scale operational tests were ever performed. The U.S. Air Force stopped funding the DDV program with the end of the Vietnam War. [2]

One B-8M, named Spirit of Kitty Hawk (registration N2588B) was used to make a special commemorative flight exactly duplicating the first flight of the Wright brothers' original Flyer on the sixtieth anniversary of the occasion. This same aircraft was flown by Igor Bensen himself between May 1967 and June 1968 to set twelve world and US speed, distance, and altitude records for autogyros, the largest number of such records to be held by any non-military rotorcraft.[ citation needed ]

Variants

Aircraft on display

Specifications (Typical B-8M, standard rotor)

Bensen B-8M Gyrocopter at the Canada Aviation Museum Bensen B-8M.jpg
Bensen B-8M Gyrocopter at the Canada Aviation Museum

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83 [10]

General characteristics

Performance

45 mph (39 kn; 72 km/h) economical

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autogyro</span> Rotorcraft with unpowered rotor

An autogyro, or gyroplane, is a class of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift. While similar to a helicopter rotor in appearance, the autogyro's unpowered rotor disc must have air flowing upward across it to make it rotate.

The CarterCopter is an experimental compound autogyro developed by Carter Aviation Technologies in the United States to demonstrate slowed rotor technology. On 17 June 2005, the CarterCopter became the first rotorcraft to achieve mu-1 (μ=1), an equal ratio of airspeed to rotor tip speed, but crashed on the next flight and has been inoperable since. It is being replaced by the Carter Personal Air Vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell XV-1</span> American experimental gyrodyne

The McDonnell XV-1 is an experimental Convertiplane developed by McDonnell Aircraft for a joint research program between the United States Air Force and the United States Army to explore technologies to develop an aircraft that could take off and land like a helicopter but fly at faster airspeeds, similar to a conventional airplane. The XV-1 would reach a speed of 200 mph, faster than any previous rotorcraft, but the program was terminated due to the tip-jet noise and complexity of the technology which gave only a modest gain in performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cierva C.8</span> Type of aircraft

The Cierva C.8 was an experimental autogyro built by Juan de la Cierva in England in 1926 in association with Avro. Like Cierva's earlier autogyros, the C.8s were based on existing fixed-wing aircraft fuselages – in this case, the Avro 552.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bensen B-7</span> Type of aircraft

The Bensen B-7 was a small rotor kite developed by Igor Bensen in the United States in the 1950s and marketed for home building. It was a refined to be a slightly larger version of the B-6, replacing the skids with a tricycle undercarriage, and adding a single large fin to the rear of the aircraft.

The Bensen B-9 Little Zipster was a small helicopter developed by Igor Bensen in the United States in the 1950s and marketed for home building. Similar in general configuration to Bensen's previous rotor kite and autogyro designs, it consisted of an open aluminum framework but substituted the autorotating main rotor for a coaxial, counter-rotating system of two, two-bladed rotors. A large tailfin provided directional stability, and the aircraft was controlled by a handlebar system extending over the pilot's head to the rotor hub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitcairn PA-34</span> Type of aircraft

The Pitcairn PA-34 and Pitcairn PA-33, given the United States Navy (USN) designation Pitcairn OP-2 and United States Army designation Pitcairn YG-2 respectively were reconnaissance autogyros designed and built in 1936 for evaluation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scheibe Falke</span> German touring motor glider, 1963

The Scheibe SF-25 Falke is a German touring motor glider developed from the earlier Bergfalke glider by Scheibe Flugzeugbau. Since May 2006 the business has been run by Scheibe Aircraft GmbH.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallis WA-116 Agile</span> Type of aircraft

The Wallis WA-116 Agile is a British autogyro developed in the early 1960s by former Royal Air Force Wing Commander Ken Wallis. The aircraft was produced in a number of variants, one of which, nicknamed Little Nellie, was flown in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Little Nellie and another sixteen of his autogyros are currently on static display with his second cousin at Wallis & Son Land Rover showrooms in Barton, Cambs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brock KB-2</span> Type of aircraft

The KB-2 Freedom Machine is an autogyro designed by Ken Brock based on the designs of the Bensen B-8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AutoGyro MT-03</span> German autogyro

The AutoGyro MT-03 is a German autogyro, designed and produced by AutoGyro GmbH of Hildesheim. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The Midwest Hornet is an American autogyro that was designed by Don Shoebridge and made available by Midwest Engineering & Design in the form of free plans for amateur construction.

The Taggart GyroBee is an American autogyro that was designed by Ralph E. Taggart of Michigan State University and made available as free documentation. The aircraft is also produced in kit form by Star Bee Gyros of Worcester, Massachusetts for amateur construction.

The Bannick Model T of the Air was the first of series of homebuilt autogyro designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DTA J-RO</span> French autogyro

The DTA J-RO (transl. gyro) is a French autogyro designed and produced by DTA sarl of Montélimar. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ELA 09 Junior</span> Spanish autogyro

The ELA 09 Junior is a Spanish autogyro designed and produced by ELA Aviación of Córdoba, Andalusia, introduced in the mid-2010s. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niki Kallithea</span> Bulgarian autogyro

The Niki Kallithea is a Bulgarian autogyro designed and produced by Niki Rotor Aviation of Pravets, introduced in 2011. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian Gyroplanes Gyros-2 Smartflier</span> Russian gyroplane

The Russian Gyroplanes Gyros-2 Smartflier is a Russian autogyro designed and produced by Russian Gyroplanes of Zhukovsky, Moscow Oblast. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

The Titanium Explorer is an Australian autogyro designed by Neil Sheather and Andrew Pepper and produced by Titanium Auto Gyro of Attunga, New South Wales. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly, although development of a kit for amateur construction was underway in 2015.

The Trixy Trixformer is an Austrian roadable aircraft autogyro/electric motorcycle designed and produced by Trixy Aviation Products of Dornbirn, introduced in 2014. The vehicle is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

References

Notes

  1. "Bensen B8 Gyrocopter". Canadian Flight. Canadian Museum of Flight. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  2. Jenkins et al. AMERICAN X-VEHICLES, X-25 NASA , June 2003. Accessed: 18 February 2012.
  3. Air Progress: 8. October 1977.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Air Trails: 80. Winter 1971.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. Air Progress Sport Aircraft: 4. Winter 1969.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. "EAA Fly-In". Flying Magazine: 37. November 1960.
  7. US Southwest Soaring Museum (2010). "Sailplanes, Hang Gliders & Motor Gliders". Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  8. Bensen B-8M 'Autogyro'"
  9. Lewis, Rebecca, (2003) Flight of the Imagination, North Carolina Museum of History, Office of Archives and History, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, retrieved 4 September 2013
  10. Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1983). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982-83 (73rd ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company. pp. 528–530. ISBN   978-0-7106-0748-5.

Further reading

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration .