Hafner A.R.III Gyroplane

A.R.III Gyroplane
	Hafner AR.III in flight, 1935
Role	Experimental autogyro
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	A.R.III Construction Company
Designer	Raoul Hafner
First flight	Autumn 1935
Number built	1

The Hafner A.R.III Gyroplane was a British 1930s experimental autogyro designed by Austrian Raoul Hafner, and built by the A.R.III Construction Company at Denham, Buckinghamshire.^[1]^[2]

Design and development

The single-seat Gyroplane had a three-blade auto-rotating rotor fitted above the fuselage on a strutted plyon.^[1] A 90 hp (67 kW) Pobjoy Niagara radial piston engine was mounted on the fuselage nose.^[1] It had fixed tailwheel landing gear and the rear fuselage included a large dorsal fin to provide directional stability.^[2] An unusual feature was the control system which was equipped with spider-actuated cyclic and collective pitch control of the rotor blades; this mechanism, a variant of the swashplate-actuated rotor control, became a standard feature on helicopters.^[2] In 1935, the Gyroplane was manufactured at the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company's factory at Denham, Buckinghamshire.^[1] In autumn 1935, the Gyroplane, registered G-ADMV, first flew at Heston Aerodrome, piloted by V.H. Baker.^[3] On 6 February 1937, it flew at Hanworth Air Park, having been modified as the Mark 2 version. It was tested at Farnborough, and leased to the Royal Aircraft Establishment for research, but it was scrapped during the second world war.^[1] A two-seat A.R.IV and three-seat A.R.V were planned, but construction was stopped when Hafner was interned under Defence Regulation 18B.

Variants

A.R.III: Prototype single-seat autogyro powered by a Pobjoy Niagara radial piston engine.
A.R.IV: Experimental rotorcraft to meet Air Ministry Specification S.22/38. Powered by a 210hp de Havilland Gipsy Six II engine, construction was started by Short Brothers as the Fleet Spotter, but was stopped in May 1940 when Hafner was interned.
A.R.V: Experimental rotorcraft to meet Air Ministry Specification S.22/38. Powered by a 210hp de Havilland Gipsy Six II engine, construction was started by Short Brothers as the Night Shadower, but was stopped in May 1940 when Hafner was interned.

Specifications

Data from ^[1]British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume

General characteristics

Crew: one
Length: 17 ft 10 in (5.44 m)
Empty weight: 640 lb (290 kg)
Gross weight: 900 lb (408 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pobjoy Niagara , 90 hp (67 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 32 ft 10 in (10.00 m)

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn)

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Jackson 1973, p. 319
^ ^a ^b ^c Orbis 1985, p. 2057
^ Flight, 19 September 1935, p. 318

Bibliography

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10010-7.

[Jackson319-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Jackson 1973, p. 319

[orbis-2] Orbis 1985, p. 2057

[3] Flight, 19 September 1935, p. 318

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