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Another front-engine design, the obscure Haig-K Aircraft Corporation HK-1. The Continental C85 is practically in the pilot's lap! The Cessna CH-1 helicopter
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| Technical data for Haig-K HK-1
Crew: 1,
passengers: 1,
engine: 1 x 85hp Continental C-85,
main rotor diameter: 8.13m,
take-off weight: 468kg
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| Willard Taylor, e-mail, 10.11.2021 | reply |
My father, Thomas Taylor, was employed by Haig K Aircraft in the 1960's as a mechanic. One day, I am thinking it may have been in 1962, father had me go to work with him. Haig had designed a kite, which he had called Stingray, and I was to help in the production of them. They were stamped Haig K Aircraft Corp; Stingray and Patent Pending. For my efforts, I was given two of these kites. I still have them, one of which is complete. As the plastic has not deteriorated, it is still in flying condition. Years ago Dan Kurkjian told me that he knew of no one else who still had this kite, so these two are likely the only ones that have survived. I am wondering what I should do to preserve these as they are part of the history of Haig K Aircraft. My family is not going to know what to do with them. I have several other items pertaining to Haig K Aircraft. One is an old photograph of a helicopter clearly marked Haig K Aircraft, different from the picture of the HK-1. Other letters on helicopter are in distinct on the photograph, I can make out _ _O_SH and H_1A. I also have an airmail envelope sent from Phila-Main Line Airport, Malvern, Pa on April 1,1929 (postmarked Malvern)and an first flight airmail envelope that went on the Auto-Gyro between Philadelphia and Camden July 6, 1939. |
| Richard Thompson, e-mail, 05.05.2016 | reply |
Haig was a member of, and general engineer of EAA Chapter 239, everyone consulted him on their inventions: lift coefficients, materials, vibration - anything needing a formula or slide rule. Bob Beggs, curator of the American Helicopter Museum gave a great talk 5 /2 /16 to EAA Chapt 240 on helicopter history in the Dela. Valley, including the HK-1, what a thrill to see it again. Add a picture of Haig. | | Dan kurkjian, e-mail, 28.03.2016 | reply |
The HK-1 flew in 1957 not 1959 |
| Dan Kurkjian, e-mail, 28.03.2016 | reply |
The HK-1 was a 2 passenger helicopter not a 1passenger as your write
Up indicated. the rotor blades and tail rotor were a urethane foam
Sandwich,high density foam in the leading edge of the blade and low
Density foam in the training edge. The skin of the sandwich was 1 /32 in.
Plywood covered by a stainless steel sheet leading edge skin. | | Dan Kurkjian, e-mail, 25.12.2012 | reply |
The HK-1 was a prototype, it was fully belt drive both the main rotor and the tailrotor. The rotor and tail rotor were composite construction with differing densities of foam in the core of the airfoil. The heavy density foam was in the leading edge, the lighter foam was aft of the blade spar.
It had unconventional controls, the collective pitch was a peddle on the floor similar to a gas peddle in a car which was correlated to the throttle. It had a steering wheel that controlled torch, and the wheel yoke could be moved
left and right and back and forth for cyclic control.
The travel on the collective pitch was such that regardless of the setting,the blades would alway enter autorotation. |
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Do you have any comments ?
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Virtual Aircraft Museum
All the World's Rotorcraft
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Dan kurkjian
I recommend your historical items be donated to the American Helicopter Museum in West Chester, PA. They have a poster board on the wall about the Haig-K Aircraft Corp and a display item would be nice. As a precursor to the helicopter, they also cover Autogiro and gyrocopter history so the Autogiro airmail item may also be of interest.
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