LF7262 PITCAIRN XOP-1

The Pitcairn XOP-1 (another designation: OP-1) is a prototype 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 14 meters. The drive was provided by one of the versions of the 300 HP Wright R-975 engine. The maximum speed did not exceed 185 km / h, with a flight range of about 450 kilometers. The weight of the empty rotorcraft was approx. 920 kilograms. The design of the Pitcairn XOP-1 gyroplane was based on similar aircraft created by the Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva. The Pitcairn XOP-1 is the first gyroplane that has undergone relatively large-scale tests by the US Navy and the US Marine Corps (USMC). In total, 2 prototypes were tested. They included, among others, landing on board the USS Langley aircraft carrier, but also carrying out surveillance and reconnaissance tasks in Nicaragua in 1932 for the USMC troops serving there. In the course of the tests, two basic shortcomings of the entire structure were noted: a very low lifting capacity and a clearly limited flight range. These shortcomings led to the Pitcairn XOP-1 not entering line service.