The Wagner FJ-V3 Aerocar was a prototype 4-place flying automobile. The vehicle used counter-rotating rotor helicopter technology for flight.

Wagner Aerocar
Role
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Wagner
Designer Alfred Vogt
First flight 1965
Introduction 1965
Developed from HTM Skytrac
Variants HTM Skytrac

Design

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The Aerocar was developed in the era of space-age futurism, and looked the part. It looked slightly like the Jetsons flying car, with a large bubble cockpit, tailfins, and disproportionately small wheels for a car. It was developed from the Rotocar III design which was based on the Sky-trac 3 helicopter. The helicopter used counter-rotating rotors. On ground propulsion to the wheels was through a hydraulic linkage to the engine.[1]

Operational history

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A prototype with the registration D-HAGU was completed and flown in 1965.[2] The Franklin 6AS-335-B engine was replaced with a 134lb, 420shp Turbomeca Oredon turbine engine with a front-mounted gearbox. The design was sold to Helikopter Technik München (HTM). HTM suspended development of the Aerocar in 1971.

Variants

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Specifications Wagner Aerocar

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General characteristics

  • Capacity: 4
  • Powerplant: 1 × Franklin , 190 kW (260 hp)

Performance

References

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  1. ^ "Resources and Information". Unrealaircraft.com. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  2. ^ Air pictorial journal of the Air League, Volume 30.
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