Helmy Aerogypt

Aerogypt
Helmy Aerogypt, Heston 1939
Role	Four-seat cabin monoplane
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Helmy
Designer	S Helmy
First flight	1939
Retired	1946
Produced	1938
Number built	1

The Helmy Aerogypt was a British four-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Egyptian S Helmy at Heston Aerodrome in 1938. The Aerogypt I was a low-wing cantilever monoplane initially powered by three 22 hp (16 kW) Douglas Sprite engines. The aircraft had an upward hinged roof that acted as a landing flap. Registered G-AFFG, it first flew in 1939. It later had the hinged roof removed, and was re-designated the Aerogypt II. Another modification added end plates to the horizontal tail surfaces, and was re-designated the Aerogypt III, and last flown in that configuration in September 1940.^[1]

In 1943, the aircraft was modified as the Aerogypt IV with a tricycle landing gear and two 65 hp (48 kW) Continental A65 engines. It was flown from White Waltham Airfield, but in November 1946 it was damaged beyond repair when it was dropped by the recovery crane following a landing accident at RAF Northolt.^[2]

Variants

Aerogypt I

Initial designation, a three-engine monoplane with tail wheel landing gear.

Aerogypt II

Modified with hinged roof removed.

Aerogypt III

Modified with end plates on horizontal tail surfaces.

Aerogypt IV

Rebuilt as a two-engine monoplane with tricycle landing gear.

Specifications (Aerogypt IV)

Data from Jackson (1974), p 250

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 19 ft 0 in (5.8 m)
• Wingspan: 26 ft 4 in (8.02 m)
• Empty weight: 1,150 lb (522 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,400 lb (1,088 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Continental A65, 65 hp (48 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 160 mph (257 km/h)

Notes

1. Jackson (1974)
2. Smith (2002)

References

• Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 3. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.
• Smith, Ron. 2002. British Built Aircraft Vol.I Greater London. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2770-9