Cosmick Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Small, motorless, three-bladed autogyros were towed behind U-Boats, allowing a lookout to see further 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Interesting! Didn't know that.Thanks for posting it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperplace Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 sounds like the pilot was a brave man; among other things had a parachute, but it was only 400ft up, probably not enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 sounds like the pilot was a brave man; among other things had a parachute, but it was only 400ft up, probably not enough. "There was an emergency procedure, however, by which the pilot could jettison the blades and rotor hub. When the rotor assembly separated, it automatically opened a parachute attached to both the machine and the pilot. The pilot then released his safety belt and the aircraft dropped into the sea, leaving the pilot descending alone by parachute." If it was automatic opening and he'd just jettisoned the rotor, it may have had enough time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris498 Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 On a trip to Duxford in UK I saw this Nazi autogyro. Feeling sure it was used for observation purposes of its mother UBoat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianboag Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 "There was an emergency procedure, however, by which the pilot could jettison the blades and rotor hub. When the rotor assembly separated, it automatically opened a parachute attached to both the machine and the pilot. The pilot then released his safety belt and the aircraft dropped into the sea, leaving the pilot descending alone by parachute."If it was automatic opening and he'd just jettisoned the rotor, it may have had enough time. Wot? It was a gyro, not a brick! Drop the tow cable and it could descend into the ocean at a perfectly acceptable rate. Given that it was flying at about 20-25 knots in use it would have been a doddle to ditch at low speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotor Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 From what I have read most of the time the U-Boat let go the cable when an enemy aircraft or vessel was sighted and dived ...... bugger the pilot! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnm Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 yes the autogiro would probably be a double edged sword ................ you could see further but others could see you from further afar as well ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianboag Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 From what I have read most of the time the U-Boat let go the cable when an enemy aircraft or vessel was sighted and dived ...... bugger the pilot! Like I said. If the gyro dropped the cable, the pilot could expect to land fairly gently. Much easier than dealing with a parachute from 400 ft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Methusala Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 I saw one recently in the Berlin Technical Museum. Could get all the stuff...parachute etc. but seemed pretty unhinged concept really. Pteradactyls anyone? Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techie49 Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 The article in the first post misses the great quote supposedly from a wartime report which states ' .....deploying a parachute as they departed which enabled him to descend into the sea still seated in the simple tubular fuselage. He then released his seat straps and drowned in the normal way'. That was quoted from the brilliant book, now sadly out of print I'd guess, 'The Secret War' by Brian Johnston (BBC). Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperplace Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I'll keep an eye out for that book, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdseye Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I recall seeing a short film of one operating from a u-boat at sea, looked rather hairy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techie49 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 I think I got my copy years ago from Abebooks. If they're still around it may be worth a try. The book was to accompany the BBC series of the same name, which you can watch on 'YouTube'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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