Back Herrick Convertoplane
1937

Herrick Convertoplane

The Convertoplane, cross between an airplane and a rotorplane, was developed in the United States in the 1930s by the "father of the convertoplane," inventor Gerard P. Herrick, aided by Ralph H. McClarren of Philadelphia's Franklin Institute. Basically, the design was a biplane with an upper wing that could function either as a lifting surface or as a two-bladed teetering rotor. Flown by test pilot George Townsend in 1937, the aircraft demonstrated successful conversions in flight from a biplane to a rotorplane. Herrick was striving for an aircraft that could achieve speed as an airplane while possessing ability to convert to rotating-wing configuration for landing and take-off in tight areas.

C.Gablehouse "Helicopters and Autogiros", 1969

Herrick Convertoplane

Herrick Convertoplane

Comments
Franco Bugada, e-mail, 27.08.2014reply

I would like to have a three view drawing of HV.1 and HV-2 aircraft. Where I can find it ? Thanks

Franco Bugada, e-mail, 25.09.2014reply

There is a mistake on the above text. The pilot who successfully transferred the biplane mode to autogyro mode was George Townson and not Townsend. It seems 100 times from the literature. A nice three view drawing of HV-2A is in the book of Bill Hannan concerning the international history of aircraft models. I am looking for the drawing of HV-1.

research, e-mail, 12.10.2009reply

National Air and Space Museum, Archives Division
Gerard Post Herrick Collection

http: / /www.nasm.si.edu /research /arch /findaids /herrick /HER_print.html

bob, e-mail, 05.02.2009reply

I would like a 3 view drawing of this aircraft
thank you

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