OT The Japanese are quite innovative

[UK_Widowmaker]

Was half asleep last night watching the History Channel, and a prog came on about how the Japanese used autogyro's in WW2 to drop depth charges on US Subs.

 

Unfortunately for them, a sub sank the ship carrying them.... I was unaware that Autogyro's were used in the war.

 

Amazing the stuff you learn

[Rugbyfan1972]

Was half asleep last night watching the History Channel, and a prog came on about how the Japanese used autogyro's in WW2 to drop depth charges on US Subs.

 

Unfortunately for them, a sub sank the ship carrying them.... I

 

UK_Widowmaker,

 

You have to love the irony in that.

 

Thanks

Rugbyfan1972

[Wels]

Hello,

 

never heard of the japanese one - any photos ?

 

There was also a german Autogyro from the company that built the Luftwaffe helicopter, Focke-Achgelis (Focke-Wulf).

The Autogyro was called "Bachstelze" FA-330 (wagtail), and was pulled by U-boats to improve the radius of observation, so visibilty went up to 25 sea miles, from an altitude of 120 meters. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Achgelis_Fa_330

 

Photo from the FA-223 helicopter "Dragon": http://www.hubschraubermuseum.de/archiv/he.../focke-achgelis

 

Greetings,

Catfish

[godzilla1985]

Hello,

 

never heard of the japanese one - any photos ?

 

There was also a german Autogyro from the company that built the Luftwaffe helicopter, Focke-Achgelis (Focke-Wulf).

The Autogyro was called "Bachstelze" FA-330 (wagtail), and was pulled by U-boats to improve the radius of observation, so visibilty went up to 25 sea miles, from an altitude of 120 meters. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Achgelis_Fa_330

 

Photo from the FA-223 helicopter "Dragon": http://www.hubschraubermuseum.de/archiv/he.../focke-achgelis

 

Greetings,

Catfish

 

The Japanese autogyro was made by Kayaba and came in three versions the Ka-1, Ka-1 KAI and Ka-2. The design was based upon the Kellet KD-1A autogyro from the USA. The Japanese Army proccured a Kellet machine in 1939 but it was damaged beyond repair shortly after its arrival in Japan and the remains were sent to K.K. Kayaba Seisakusho a small company doing autogyro research at the time with instructions to develop a similar machine. The Ka-1 was powered by a 240hp Argus inline, the Ka-1 KAI was a varient of the Ka-1 with powder rockets in the rotor blade tips while the Ka-2 was powered by a 240hp Jacobs radial, all were two seaters, all types were three bladed. Production of the Ka-1 was 240 machines (including one Ka-1 KAI) and only 1 machine of the Ka-2 varient. Some of these autogyros were operated on land, others were on the Japanese Army light escort aircraft carrier the Akitsu Maru (yes the Japaenes Army had it's own AC carriers all six of them). The Akitsu Maru was sunk by a USN sub in 1944. This info came from R.J Francillon excellent book Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War printed by the Naval Institute Press. First pic is the Kayaba Ka-1, second is the Kellet KD-1A.

Edited May 2, 2009 by godzilla1985

[UK_Widowmaker]

UK_Widowmaker,

 

You have to love the irony in that.

 

Thanks

Rugbyfan1972

 

hahahaha

 

yes...I think they call it 'Sod's Law'

[Wels]

Hello,

thanks Godzilla, i had never heard of it before

Thanks and greetings,

Catfish

[godzilla1985]

Hello,

thanks Godzilla, i had never heard of it before

Thanks and greetings,

Catfish

Your welcome and greetings to you also Catfish, glad I could shed a little light on Japanese autogyros for the forum memebers :yes: