X-wings

I had call to make some snapshots of a few pages from issue V5N6 of APR (which is available for download or on CD-ROM). These show drawings and art of several Sikorsky “X-Wing” designs from the ’80’s. The X-Wing was a helicopter with rigid rotors… so rigid that in principle that rotation could be stopped and the rotors would serve as wings. It was a supremely nifty idea that was burdened by the problem of not working very well…  the transition from one state to the other would basically leave the vehicle falling out of the sky.

If you want to read/see more on the X-Wing program, pick up a copy of V5N6.