1938: Helocopter

[Archangel Michael]

I'm writing an AH, which features some sort of VTOL machine. Basically, its a pusher-propeller aircraft, but with shorter wings and a propeller above the main fuselage like a helicopter. Its armament would be heavier rockets and a heavy AT gun. How plausible is this VTOL design?

[Straha]

soudns plausible but which nation would develop it?

[Archangel Michael]

Maybe a joint American/German design, then exported to Alaska to support te Nationalist in the Civil War.

[Straha]

ok sonds reasonable see my latest thread I posted...

[Nonny]

One of the first helicopters, a Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache helicopter was going to be used by Otto Skorzeny to rescue Mussolini who was being held in the hotel on top of the pinnacle of the Gran Sasso in the Abruzzi mountains, reached only by cable-car. But at the last moment this was unserviceable due to a crash. Undeterred, Skorzeny went in a Storch, landed on the tiny terrace at the back of the hotel, got the former dictator and, severely overloaded, took off over the sheer edge.

[Roland Wolf]

There were several projects around VTOL`s at the beginning of/during ww2. The design you describe must either have an unpowered main rotor (like the celotopers) which are capable of vertical take off and landings, but not of hovering or other helicopter-like manouvres.
They are less complicated to build than "real" helicopters, and at least in theory, be powered by a Merlin, Alison or DB 601-type engine. Armament could include missiles like R4M or RS 82, machine guns and heavier cannon. Given that even the Hs 129 could carry a 75mm AT gun that seems feasible, but I would not like to fire that from very low velocity.
A well armed and armoured true helicopter would have to wait until the advent of gas turbines, since they are so much more weight efficient.

[Archangel Michael]

The vehcile I'm describing could have its main rotor powered by a powerful engine and the pusher propeller being propelled by another engine, and it can take off and land vertically, and possible hover for a short while. Armament could be a 45mm main cannon, with smaller 15mm cannons in the nose, along with stub wings with three hardpoints each, and can fire rockets from rocket pods, fire guns, or maybe even divebomb the target. Later on, a heavier, radar guided rocket could be used.

[Scott Rosenthal]

Given your description, I rather doubt it is an option in 1938, largely because of power plant issues. As was pointed out earlier, once gas turbines are practical for aircraft, a serious 'tank-buster' (which is really what this looks like) is more of a possibility. Rockets (even ones considerably more advanced than those available in 1938) are too fuel inefficient for the role you set up for them...

Now, by 1950 or so, this is more of a possibility, though I still think that you would be stretching things...

[DuQuense]

Wankel Patented IIRC his rotary engine in 1913?. Thro there wasn't any intrest in it till Mazda picked it up in the seventies. Due to oil Embargo, ect.

Perhaps a Early German interst in this gets you a Small but Powerfull enuff Engine, for your Heliocopter.

[Thro the Butterflies in Aerocraft, early swept wing jet designs with a Wankel pusher prop instead. ]