Work on what would become the Skeeter had been commenced by the Cierva Autogiro Company as the Cierva W.14. Following Saunders-Roe's takeover of Cierva, it was decided to continue its projects, including the Skeeter. The Saunders-Roe Skeeter is a light all-metal, two-seat single-rotor helicopter, complete with a tail rotor for torque compensation and yaw control. It was intended to perform as an all-purpose rotorcraft, primarily being used for light civil work as well as aerial observation and training missions in military service. The handling characteristics were broadly similar to comparably-sized rotorcraft of the era, while possessing the necessary simplicity, robustness, and reliability that commonly typified trainer aircraft. For much more information, including the 15 variants, click here. Specifications below are for the Skeeter AOP.12 variant.
