Cierva C.40

C.40
Role	Autogyro
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	British Aircraft Manufacturing Company
Designer	J.A.J. Bennett
First flight	1938
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	9
Developed from	Cierva C.30

The Cierva C.40 was a British autogyro designed by G.B.L. Ellis, Otto Reder, and Dr. J.A.J Bennett and was assembled by the British Aircraft Manufacturing Company at London Air Park, Hanworth.^[1]^[2]

Development

The C.40 was the last autogiro produced by the Cierva Autogiro Company, Ltd. Design commenced in July 1936 and continued after Cierva's death in an airliner crash in December of that year. Based on the C.30A Autogiro the C.40 was originally intended to use a higher power version of the Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major engine. Utilizing the lessons of autodynamic rotor development underway since 1933, the C.40 rotor included three flexible blades to suppress vibration and were attached to the rotor hub through inclined flap and drag hinges to give jump-takeoff capability. It had two side-by-side seats in a wooden fuselage and the production version was powered by a Salmson 9NG radial engine, problems with which delayed introduction of the C.40 into service until mid-1938.^[1]

Operational history

In 1938 the British Aircraft Manufacturing Company assembled nine C.40s at London Air Park, Hanworth, and seven were delivered to the Royal Air Force.^[2] The remaining two were registered to the Cierva Autogiro Company, one was lost in France in June 1940, and the other was impressed into RAF service.^[2]

Operators

United Kingdom

Specification

Data from ^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (pilot, observer)
Empty weight: 1,350 lb (612 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 1,950 lb (885 kg)
Main rotor diameter: × 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn)
Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn)
Range: 200 mi (320 km, 170 nmi)

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Orbis 1985, p. 1155
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Jackson 1973, pp. 24-26

Bibliography

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.

[Orbis-1] Orbis 1985, p. 1155

[Jackson-2] Jackson 1973, pp. 24-26

[1]

[2]