List of rotorcraft used in World War II

Autogyros and helicopters were used during World War II. List includes prototypes.

Germany

Some types in use of Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine

• Focke-Wulf Fw C.30A - licence-built Cierva C.30A (general purpose autogyro)
• Focke-Wulf Fw 186 (liaison autogyro, single example built before cancelled
• Focke-Wulf Autogyro-helicopter (experimental prototype)
• Focke-Wulf Fw 61 - experimental helicopter, first flew 1936
• Focke Achgelis Fa 330 "Bachstelze" (Autogyro-glider/observation vehicle)
• Focke Achgelis Fa 266 "Hornisse" (civil transport helicopter), re-designated Fa 223 in 1939 before the first prototype flew.
• Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 "Drache" - military transport helicopter, saw limited use for rescue
• Focke-Achgelis Fa 225 - single-seat rotary wing glider, one built
• Focke Achgelis Fa 284 (flying crane/heavy transport helicopter) prototype designed but not completed
• Flettner Fl 184 (two-seat reconnaissance/ anti-submarine autogyro) One built and crashed in 1936 before project cancelled.
• Flettner Fl 185 Heligyro (helicopter-autogyro)
• Flettner Fl 265 (twin rotor liaison-observation helicopter, pioneer of synchropter configuration)
• Flettner Fl 282A/B "Kolibri" (reconnaissance synchropter)
• Flettner Fl 339 (reconnaissance helicopter)
• Nagler-Hafner RI Revoplane (experimental helicopter)
• Nagler-Hafner RII Revoplane (single-place helicopter)
• Nagler-Hafner Heliogyro (Autogyro-helicopter)
• Nagler-Rolz RI (single-place helicopter)
• Nagler-Rolz RII (single-place helicopter)
• Nagler-Rolz NR 54 (one-man portable helicopter)
• Nagler-Rolz Nr 55 (one-man portable helicopter)
• Baumgartl "Heliofly" I (light Autogyro-glider)
• Baumgartl "Heliofly" III-57 (two contra-rotating helicopter)
• Baumgartl "Heliofly" III-59 (little and light disarmable helicopter)
• Wiener Neustadter (Doblohff) WNF 342 (Tip-jet helicopter)
• Weserflug P.1003/1 VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft project
• AEG (Schimdt) Electric-Tethered Helicopter (unmanned vehicle for raising radio antenna or manned aerial observation platform)

United States

In use by USAAF, US Navy and USCG

• Kellet KD-1A (La Cierva C.30A) (general use Autogyro)
• Sikorsky VS-300 (experimental helicopter)
• Sikorsky R-4B "Hoverfly" (general helicopter)
• Sikorsky YR-4B "Hoverfly" (ambulance/sea patrol helicopter)
• Sikorsky R-5A (rescue/reconnaissance helicopter)
• Platt-LePage XR-1 (experimental helicopter)

Great Britain

In use by RAF and FAA

• Avro 671 "Rota" Mk.1 (licence-built Cierva C.30A) (general purpose autogyro - used for radar station testing)
• Cierva W.5 - 2-seater twin outrigger rotor helicopter, first flight 1938.
• Cierva W.6 - twin rotor helicopter, flown in 1939
• Cierva W.9 - jet efflux torque compensation design. Built in 1944 and flown in 1945.
• Bristol "Heliogyro" RI/II (experimental helicopter)
• Sikorsky "Hoverfly" I - service name for Sikorsky R-4 used at RAF Helicopter Training School from 1945
• Hafner Rotabuggy (also known as "Malcolm Rotaplane" and "M.L. 10/42 Flying Jeep") - rotary wing glider attachment for landing jeeps. Tested in 1944 but introduction of vehicle-carrying gliders led to cancellation of project.
• Hafner Rotachute - one-man rotor-kite for landing assault troops. Not adopted but used instead for testing in support of Rotabuggy project

Canada

In use for RCAF

• Avro 671 "Rota" Mk.1 (La Cierva C.30A) (general purpose Autogyro)
• Sikorsky R-4B "Hoverfly" (general purpose helicopter)

Soviet Union

In use for Red Army and V-VS

• TsAGI (Kamov) A-7/7bis (Liaison and Observation Autogyro)

Japan

In use by Japanese Army/Navy Air Service

• KD-1a Kayaba KA-2 KA (autogyro)
• Kayaba Ka-1 (autogyro)

References