"Turbo Wing": Another bright idea

[Pilawt]

I took this photo at Brown Field (SDM) in San Diego in 1978. Note the second engine and propeller mounted vertically between the tailbooms.



I had no idea what the heck this thing was, until very recently, when I decided to track it down on the internet. Turns out it is "Rotor Wing No. 1", N25RW, the creation of something called Rotor Wings Systems Inc., of Coronado, California. Described as an "experimental 'Three Passenger Airplane' to demonstrate the high lift capability of an aircraft equipped with 'Turbo Wing Technology.'" This top-view photo from their brochure shows the placement of the rotor in a cuout of the trailing edge of the wing.



After this yellow thing was test flown, they modified a Cessna 207 with a rotor in each wing, replacing the flaps, and likewise a Cessna 337 with two rotors in each wing.


Fortunately a video survives on YouTube with the designer explaining the concept, and showing some test flight clips.

What will they think of next?

 

[imwithtuxedo]

That side by side of the 337's at the end of the clip was impressive.

 

[Salty]

I would not have even wanted to be in the 337 next to it during the test flight. That thing was a disaster waiting to occur. Failure of any one of those four horizontal prop engines would be pretty much a guaranteed death sentence.

 

[Lachlan]

And fast forward to today, where any dummy with a credit card can buy multi-rotor RC vehicles that are easier to fly than it is to breathe with your mouth closed. You should send the Turbo Wing guy a Thank You note. Imagine that tech with electric motors...

 

[denverpilot]

What did it do to cruise speed and fuel burn?

 

[Pilawt]

What did it do to cruise speed and fuel burn?

Nothing good, I'm thinking.

 

[denverpilot]

Nothing good, I'm thinking.

I noticed they carefully didn’t say. Not to mention the retrofit cost, although I’m sure they were hoping for or got a patent and wanted someone to pick up on it any pay them licensing / royalties.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

What did it do to cruise speed and fuel burn?

you don't get something from nothing.....

 

[luvflyin]

I would not have even wanted to be in the 337 next to it during the test flight. That thing was a disaster waiting to occur. Failure of any one of those four horizontal prop engines would be pretty much a guaranteed death sentence.

My first thought to. It obviously reduces stall speed way down. A failure of a rotor could stall the side it’s on like right now.