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The McCulloch J-2 Gyroplane is a two-seater gyrocopter powered by a
180hp Lycoming o-360-A2D engine. The streamline cabin of the McCulloch
J-2 Gyrocopter is fabricated of lightweight metals and fiberglass. The
twin tail boom design provides structural integrity as well as
protection from the pusher propeller mounted behind the cockpit. The
rotating gyro provides the lift, unlike the helicopter, however, the
rotor is freeweehling and not engaged except for a temporary interval
before take-off to bring up the PRM. Development of the J-2 goes back to
1954, when Dragoljub Kosta Jovanovich patented an autogyro concept that
could take off from a residential highway. With McCulloch Aircraft
Corporation funding, Draco Jovanovich designed and developed the
autogyro that flew first as Jovair J-2 in June 1962. McCulloch Aircraft
Corp. acquired the design as McCulloch J-2 Gyrocopter in 1969. At that
time the J-2 was just undergoing it's final FAA certification. FAA Type
Certification No. H6WE was issued 6 May 1970. McCulloch Aircraft
Corporation put the J-2 into production and deliveries of production aircraft
began in 1970, first in El Segundo, CA., later on the entire operation was moved to Lake Havasu City, AZ, and finally
they moved to Gardena, CA, USA. Aero Resources Inc., Gardena, CA, took
over the production and type certificate of the J-2 Gyrocopter but they
never built an J-2 and finally closed their doors in 1974. In 1971,
McCulloch expected to a total of 1600 J-2 Gyroplanes would be roll of
the assembly lines, but due to performance problems production ended with a total of 83 aircraft built.
One of the biggest problems was the noise it produced, therefore the occupants had to wear special David Clark
headsets and still the noise level in the cockpit was deafening. Next to
this, the J-2 Gyroplane had a very limited range with a lot of unuseable
fuel left and the required distance for takeoffs was far more than acceptable. |
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The 1971-built McCulloch J-2 Gyrocopter s/n 031 was registered N4321G. Today the McCulloch J-2 Gyrocopter N4321G is
registered with R.J. Vannucci, Arnemuiden, the Netherlands. On 5 July 2013, the aircraft was seen in the ‘Flying Gyrocopter Museum’
at Midden-Zeeland airfield near Arnemuiden in the Netherlands. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
