LF7261 PITCAIRN PCA-2

Pitcairn PCA-2 is an American gyroplane (autogyreo), from the interwar period. The overall length of the aircraft's fuselage was 7.04 meters, with a main rotor diameter of 13.72 meters. The drive was provided by one of the versions of the 330 HP Wright R-975 engine. The maximum speed did not exceed 200 km / h, with a flight range of 470 kilometers. The weight of the empty rotorcraft was approximately 1020 kilograms. The Pitcairn PCA-2 was the first aircraft in the history of American aviation to obtain appropriate certification as a gyroplane. It was also the first machine to land on the White House lawn and the first autogyro to fly from the US East Coast to the West. The machine also established flight altitude records for autogyres. Three main development versions were created in the course of production: PCA-2 (basic model), PCA-3 (version with Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior engine) and PA-21 (version with Wright R-975-E2 engine). For testing purposes, the Pitcairn PCA-2 was also used by the US Navy.