Many helicopter manufacturers claim to have built the first helicopter. Some have been for corporate use, similar to business jets, others have been for military use. But which has truly been the first?
When it comes to aviation, many overlook the importance of helicopters. For some, helicopters have been around for a few decades, for others, helicopters have been around for centuries!
Ancient Experimental Designs
The idea of a flying machine has been around for centuries. The Wright Brothers were able to make the first flight in 1903, but a “flying machine” was far from built.
Ancient China
The first helicopter “designs” date back to 400 BC. These designs come from the book Baopuzi written by Chinese Taoist scholar Ge Hong, describing how one could make a “vertical flying machine” from bamboo.
Following these designs, Chinese children have made tiny bamboo flying toys (sometimes called “Bamboo-copters” or “Flying Tops”) for centuries.
Interestingly, these designs were passed through trade and over time to the West, particularly during the Renaissance, where kings and emperors wanted to develop them into weapons of war.
The designs that Ge Hong laid out in the fourth century BC helped to inspire many helicopter designers in the 20th century to develop the first helicopters!
Da Vinci
During the Renaissance, Ge Hong’s texts made their way to Europe. Kings and emperors wanted to make these designs into weapons of war, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
One of the people who tried to make Ge Hong’s texts into weapons of war, was Leonardo da Vinci. His design for a helicopter consisted of a main rotor and a small body.
Da Vinci coined this design as the “Flying Screw” however, his designs had no mechanism that stopped the helicopter from vibrating uncontrollably or from spinning uncontrollably.
Cornu Helicopter
In 1907, French bicycle-maker, Paul Cornu made the “first helicopter”. This “helicopter” was actually made from bicycle parts, and did resemble a bicycle in many different ways.
Cornu purchased a car engine and used that as the main power source for the Cornu. However, the Cornu was an experimental aircraft, and as with so many other experiments, the Cornu Helicopter didn’t go to plan.
The Cornu Helicopter had a major issue with the engine- it wouldn’t produce enough thrust to get to a “proper” height. The highest the Cornu ever got was two meters (seven feet) off the ground.
It’s not just that the Cornu couldn’t get very high, it also didn’t stay there for that long. On the few test flights that the Cornu did, the longest was only 30 seconds, with it coming up and straight back down.
Ellehammer Helicopter
A few years after Cornu’s failed attempt at making the first helicopter, a Dane tried his hands at making one too. In September 1912, Jacob Ellehammer built an unnamed prototype that would go on to be called the Ellehammer Helicopter.
Ellehammer studied the design of the Wright Flyer and the Cornu Helicopter as well as several other failed aircraft. The result was a bicycle-looking contraption, acting as the cockpit and six circles overhead.
These six circles would spin at the same pace, but would be slightly offset from one another as to give the Ellehammer the most lift. The Ellehammer had several test flights too, with the first being in September 1912.
Ellehammer wasn’t quiet about his invention either, attracting the attention of Prince Axel of Denmark. However, the aircraft was destroyed the only prototype in September 1916. A replica has been made for a Danish museum.
De Bothezat Helicopter
In the early 1920’s, the US Army Air Service wanted to have an aerial command outpost that could be flown around with a high ranking officer to command a battle.
To do this, they contracted famed rotorcraft theoretician George de Bothezat to create such a device. After a year of trial and error, the de Bothezat helicopter took flight for the first time in December 1922.
The US army Air Service liked it originally, and even took ownership of the first aircraft. However, after much testing by both de Bothezat and the USAAS, the project was cancelled.
The cancellation was down to a flaw in the design- it could only achieve forward flight in favorable winds. Plus, the USAAS had budget issues. Despite this, Thomas Edison praised the aircraft calling it the first helicopter.
Focke-Wulf Fw 61
For Heinrich Focke, the whole reason he established Focke-Achgelis was to develop the world’s first helicopter, like the Fw 61. This was done thanks to Focke-Wulf’s development of the C.19 autogyro and C.30 autogyro under licence.
The result was that Heinrich Focke began work on the Fw 61- meant to be the first practical helicopter. The first prototype flew in June 1936, with a widespread introduction of the Fw 61 meant for 1937.
However, Focke-Achgelis couldn’t secure funding from the German government to mass produce the Fw 61. The German government couldn’t see the practical benefits of the Fw 61 in the Luftwaffe’s arsenal.
Worst of all, the only two Fw 61s that were built didn’t survive the war, along with their blueprints. However, a replica of the Fw 61 does still exist and is currently on display at a museum.
Focke-Achgelis Fa 223
After the loss of the two Fw 61s, Heinrich Focke decided that he would try his hand again at building a helicopter. However, this time, the helicopter would be a commercial success and the German government would buy it.
The Fa 223 first flew in August 1940, and was introduced by the beginning of 1941. Unlike the Fw 61, Heinrich Focke and Gerd Achgelis marketed the Fa 223 relentlessly to the Luftwaffe.
What resulted was that the Fa 223 was ordered by the Luftwaffe. By the end of the war, 20 Fa 223s were in service with the Luftwaffe. The end of WWII in 1945, saw the Fa 223 being captured by the Allies.
The Fa 223 was then studied by the Allies before being sold off post-war, ending up in teh service of the Czechoslovak Air Force, Czechoslovak National Security Guard and the French Air Force.
Flettner Fl 282
In 1940, following the announcement of other helicopters, both in Germany and abroad, Anton Flettner decided he would make his own helicopter. The Fl 282 was based on the design of the Fl 265, which was unsuccessful.
After much tinkering of the Fl 265’s design, the Fl 282 was born. By 1941, the Fl 282 had conducted its first test flight. These test flights caught the eye of the Luftwaffe, who became increasingly interested in it as the war progressed.
1942 saw the Luftwaffe and Flettner reach a deal and the subsequent introduction of the Fl 282 into the Luftwaffe. The Fl 282 was also the first helicopter to see battlefield use in 1943, before being retired in 1945.
By the end of the war, Flettner had built 24 Fl 282, making it the most produced helicopter of the entire war, on either side! When you think of a WWII-era Nazi helicopter, you think of the Fl 282, even if you don’t know it!
Platt-LePage PL-3
The Platt-LePage PL-3, otherwise known as the Platt-LePage XR-1, was the first aircraft designed by Platt-LePage Aircraft Manufacturing. The PL-3 was also the first helicopter to be acquired by the US Army Air Corps.
The PL-3 has its origins with the VS-300, and how Sikorsky couldn’t negotiate a price that both could agree on. As such, the US Army Air Corps launched a bid for a military helicopter.
The winner was announced in May 1940, and went to Platt-LePage, work began he same year. May 1941 saw the first flight of the PL-3, with an introduction in June of that same year.
PL-3s were in service with the US Army Air Corps between 1941 and 1946, with only two being built. A retired PL-3 was sold to Frank Piasecki, who went on to found his own helicopter company, improving the PL-3 significantly.
Sikorsky VS-300
Today, the modern Sikorsky prides itself on the VS-300. They claim that the design features present on some of their more recent helicopters, such as the S-76, started with the VS-300.
The VS-300 started as an idea with Igor Sikorsky, who was then the Engineering Manager of United Aircraft Corporation’s Vought-Sikorsky (helicopter) division.
Sikorsky’s helicopter- designated the VS-300 first flew on 14 September 1939, when it was tethered to the ground. The first “free” flight (where the VS-300 wasn’t tethered) was on 13 May 1940.
The VS-300 was the first commercially successful helicopter. After its initial test flights, many VS-300s were equipped with floats, making it the first true amphibious helicopter, which also helped it become commercially successful.
Sikorsky R-4
Despite the VS-300 coming before the R-4 by just a few months, Sikorsky also pride themselves on the fact that the R-4 was the first helicopter. This is mostly down to the fact that the R-4 was developed from the VS-300.
After the success of the VS-300 as a cargo and amphibious helicopter, Sikorsky wanted to develop a helicopter that would suit the military as well. As such, he modified the design of the VS-300 to appeal to the US military.
Whilst modifying the design, Igor Sikorsky unknowingly developed the most successful helicopter of the time, birthing a non-military helicopter industry in the meantime.
Thanks to this, the R-4 became the first commercially-available, mass-produced helicopter of its time! Following a series of firsts set down by the VS-300, the R-4 was also the first helicopter used off an aircraft carrier!
Bell 47
Whilst the Sikorsky R-4 may have been the first commercial helicopter, it wasn’t designed to be a commercial helicopter and served in that role several years after the Bell 47 was introduced.
In fact, it was the success of the Bell 47 that caused Igor Sikorsky to market the R-4 as a commercial helicopter after its military service was complete! Bell sold more than 5,600 Bell 47s in an eight year period.
The Bell 47 was the first purpose-designed helicopter to be used commercially in the United States. Throughout its history, the Bell 47 has been used as a news helicopter, helicopter transport and as a fire/police helicopter.
The Bell 47 first flew in December 1945. Bell later introduced the Bell 47 in December 1946. It was the first non-military helicopter certified for civilian use, being certified in March 1946.
What was the First Helicopter?
You could argue that any one of these helicopters was the first helicopter- they were the first helicopter in some regard.
However, when it comes down to it, historians and avgeeks alike tend to argue that either the VS-300 or the Fw 61 was the first helicopter.
The Fw 61 was the first fully functional helicopter that was practical to use. However, it was a commercial failure, with only two ever being built. Plus, its design is more reminiscent of a plane than a helicopter.
The VS-300 was the first commercially successful helicopter as well as the first amphibious helicopter. In terms of the VS-300’s design, it is very reminiscent of modern helicopters, in fact, inspiring their designs!
As such, most historians and avgeeks tend to agree that the VS-300 was the first helicopter. One of the things Igor Sikorsky is remembered for is that he invented the first modern helicopter, among other things.
Which was truly the first helicopter? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Tony Hisgett.