- Source: Bensen B-7
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 B-7 was first towed aloft on 17 June 1955, and on 6 December that year, Bensen flew a motorized version designated the B-7M, a fully autonomous autogyro. The prototype B-7M crashed three days later with Bensen at the controls. Although the machine was soon repaired and in the air again, the incident set Bensen to work on further refinements to the design that would eventually lead to the B-8.
Variants
Data from: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59
B-7
The basic gyro-glider
B-7B Gyro-boat
A Gyro-glider mounted on a standard sailing dinghy hull.
B-7W Hydro-glider
The B-7W "Hydroglider" was a gyrocopter designed to be towed from a motorboat at 10-20 mph. The B-7W was tested at Cypress Gardens Florida in 1955. It was marketed to be a sport vehicle, with practical uses in fish or submarine spotting. The floats were modified from a Republic Seabee.
B-7M
A powered version of the B-7 with a Nelson H-59 4-cylinder 2-stroke horizontally-opposed engine driving a pusher propeller, mounted behind the pilot.
Specifications (B-7M)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Empty weight: 185 lb (84 kg)
Gross weight: 435 lb (197 kg)
Fuel capacity: 6 US gal (5.0 imp gal; 22.7 L)
Powerplant: 1 × Nelson H-59 4-cylinder air-cooled 2-stroke horizontally-opposed piston engine, 42 hp (31 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)
Main rotor area: 330.1 sq ft (30.67 m2) free-turning
Blade section: Bensen G2
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 136 mph (219 km/h, 118 kn)
Cruise speed: 60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn)
Minimum speed: 19 mph (17 kn; 31 km/h) in still air
Range: 120 mi (190 km, 100 nmi)
Service ceiling: 12,500 ft (3,800 m)
Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
References
Further reading
Charnov, Bruce (2003). From Autogiro to Gyroplane: The Amazing Survival of an Aviation Technology. Praeger. p. 226.
External links
Bensen Aircraft Foundation
Bensen Aircraft at Vortechonline.com
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Daftar pesawat terbang VTOL
- Tulisan Aztek
- Daftar pesawat eksperimental
- Bensen B-7
- Bensen B-8
- Bensen B-12
- B7
- Bensen Aircraft
- Autogyro
- List of aircraft (B–Be)
- Rotor kite
- B8
- North East Land, Sea and Air Museums
