Cierva C.6

C.6

Cierva C.6 replica at the Museo del Aire, Spain
Role	Autogyro
Manufacturer	Cierva
Designer	Juan de la Cierva
First flight	March 1924
Number built	1
Developed from	Cierva C.5

Cierva C.6 in flight

The Cierva C.6 was the sixth autogyro designed by engineer Juan de la Cierva, and the first one to travel a "major" distance. Cierva, the engineer responsible for the invention of the autogyro, had spent all his funds on the research and creation of his first five prototypes. Therefore, in 1923, he turned to the Cuatro Vientos Aerodynamics Laboratory chief, Commander Emilio Herrera, who succeeded in persuading General Francisco Echagüe, the director of the Military Aviation Aeronautics Department, to take over the second stage in the research and development of Cierva's autogyros.

After several wind tunnel tests, Military Aviation built a Cierva C.6 autogyro in an Avro 504 frame. This machine, piloted by Captain Joaquín Loriga Taboada, made three flights, all of them in March 1924. One of those flights, the eight-minute trip from Cuatro Vientos airfield to Getafe airfield (10.5 km / 7 miles), was considered a giant step for Cierva's autogyros.

The Cierva C.6 prototype was fitted with ailerons mounted on two small wings, also with elevators and a rudder. This complete three-axis control scheme was needed because the pilot had only limited control over the rotor (See Helicopter rotor). Only the front propeller was powered, so this aircraft could not hover, and could lose control at low speed. The vertical axis rotor spun freely; the faster the autogyro flew, the faster the rotor would spin and the greater lift it produced.

A replica of the Cierva C.6 was built to be shown in Murcia pavilion in Seville Expo '92 World's Fair. That replica can be now be seen in Museo del Aire (Spain), Cuatro Vientos, Madrid, Spain.

Variants

Cierva C.6: Prototype.
Cierva C.6A: Powered by an 82-kW (110-hp) Le Rhône 9Ja rotary piston engine.
Cierva C.6B
Cierva C.6C: Powered by a 97-kW (130-hp) Clerget 9B rotary piston engine. Built in the United Kingdom as Avro Type 574.
Cierva C.6D: Powered by a 97-kW (130-hp) Clerget 9B rotary piston engine. Built in the United Kingdom as the Avro Type 575.

Specifications (C.6)

General characteristics

Crew: one or two
Length: 29 ft 6 in (9 m)
Max takeoff weight: 1,984 lb (900 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9Ja 9-cyl. air-cooled rotary piston engine, 110 hp (82 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 32 ft 10 in (10 m)
Main rotor area: 845.5 sq ft (78.55 m²)
Propellers: two-bladed wooden propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 54 kn (62 mph; 100 km/h)

References

Original pictures and data of this article were taken from "Museo del Aire", Cuatro Vientos, Madrid, Spain

Bombers	730 Aldershot Antelope Buffalo Lancaster Lincoln Manchester Vulcan

Transports	Andover Lancastrian York

Maritime patrol	Anson Bison Shackleton

Passenger transports	652 748 Ashton Commodore Eighteen Five Six Ten Tudor

Trainers	504 Athena Cadet Tutor Prefect

Fighters	Avenger Avocet Spider

Sports aircraft	Avian Avis Baby

Experimental	707 Ashton Burga Roe I Biplane Roe I Triplane Roe II Triplane Roe III Triplane Roe IV Triplane

Aero engines	A.V. Roe 20 hp 2-cyl.

Aircraft produced by Cierva/Cierva Autogiro Company/Weir

C.1 C.2 C.3 C.4 C.5 C.6 C.7 C.8 C.9 C.10 C.11 C.12 C.14 C.17 C.18 C.19 C.20 C.21 C.24 C.25 C.26 C.27 C.28 C.29 C.30 C.31 C.32 C.33 C.34 C.37 C.39 C.40 W.4 W.5 W.6 W.9 W.11 W.14 CR Twin

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Cierva C.6

Variants

Specifications (C.6)

References

See also