De Bothezat Flying Octopus
George de Bothezat · United States · first flew 1922 · helicopter
The de Bothezat helicopter, also known as the Jerome-de Bothezat Flying Octopus, was an experimental quadrotor helicopter built for the US Army Air Service. It was said at the time to be the first successful helicopter.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Open framework rather than a conventional fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four large six-bladed rotors on a cross-shaped frame, hence the Flying Octopus name
- Quadrotor layout about 20 m across
- Open framework rather than a conventional fuselage
Four huge six-bladed rotors on a large open frame make it unmistakable.
Specifications
- The De Bothezat Flying Octopus has a length of 19.8 m (65 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.1 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 48 km/h (30 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew on 18 December 1922. Four massive six-bladed rotors lifted it, but it suffered from complexity and control difficulties.
Variants
It was a single experimental machine with no production variants.
Where you'll see it
The Army cancelled the programme in 1924 and the aircraft was scrapped.
Related aircraft
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