Windmill (oz16628)

About this Plan

Windmill Autogyro. Free flight autogyro model. Rotor diameter 24 in.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 12/3/2026: Added article, thanks to Pit.

Quote: "A 'machine of the future' until fixed-wing airplanes flew faster and faster, an autogiro makes a novel and excellent flying model. And so easier than helicopter. Windmill, by Edmund Mazan.

In 1923, Senor Don Juan de la Cierva of Spain, invented the autogiro. With safety in mind, he conceived the idea of an aircraft with a freely rotating wing. This ingenious idea made the autogiro independent of speed, for safety in flight, therefore eliminating stalls and spins which in the 1920's and early 1930's especially, caused innumerable mishaps to pilots of fixed-wing aircraft. Cierva's entirely new impression of what flying should be was welcomed by the aviation world. Despite its early popularity, by 1940 the autogiro was almost non-existent; possibly because it could not compare with the fixed wing aircraft, which at that time, were approaching speeds of over 300 mph.

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to mention that the autogiro was not a helicopter. Lift was accomplished by a free-rotating rotor while forward thrust was derived from a conventional motor and propeller. The rotor was not connected to the engine.

The model of the autogiro is very simple to adjust. Although the angular settings of the rotor blades may appear to be complicated, extreme accuracy in setting the blade angles is not necessary.

Before attempting to construct any part of model, please study plans carefully. Construction of this model follows conventional lines with the possible exception of the rotor assembly, rotor mast and strut unit.

Fuselage: Build two sides of the fuselage from 1/8 sq balsa. Do not add 1/8 sheet fill-in to sides of fuselage at this time. After fuselage sides have thoroughly dried, cement them together at the rudder post. Add 1/8 sq top and bottom cross pieces, beginning at rudder post and working toward nose of fuselage. Cut and cement all 1/8 and 1/16 sheet fill-ins, with the exception of space between Sta #4 and Sta #6..."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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