Cierva C-4: what did it really look like?

Bradypdion · 3 October 2006, 01:44 PM

Hi,
I'm planning to build a Cierva C-4 and had a closer look at Bill Hannan's 3-view drawing and some pictures of the machine. Something that strikes me a bit strange is that the fuselage longerongs on Hannan's drawing seem to spread from the cockpit towards the cowl. Considering other aircraft equiped with the same engine (Le Rhône) and that constructors usually build as simple as possible (i.e. no un-nescesary splicing or shaping), I find this a bit strange... The few pictures I've seen don't seem to support this widened front end, except for perhaps a head shot of which I only have a very poor resolution Web download.
Can someone perhaps set me straight on this one?
Thanks!
Johan Wallin

Romani · 3 October 2006, 03:06 PM

I have pictures of the C-4 autogiro in Cuatro Vientos museum, Madrid, but unfortunately my computer is in the shop for repairs... if you can wait a couple days, I will send you all the photos I have

Have you looked at this webpage? has 5 shots of the C-4

http://www.jefflewis.net/autogyros.html

Bradypdion · 4 October 2006, 01:57 AM

Thank You Romani; any photo documentation is most welcome! I didn't know that there still existed a C-4, is it a replica or the the original machine?
I have seen the the link you refer to and those are the only pictures I have seen so far except, again, for the frontal pic I found elsewhere.

The third C-4 picture in the Lewis' text seems even more odd as it has the AVRO horizontal tail similar to the C-6...

Cheers, Johan

Romani · 4 October 2006, 02:13 AM

Sorry, my mistake, it's a C-6, not a C-4, and think it's a replica, but it also has a Le Rhòne engine and the fuselage seems similar, I will send you the photos if it's of any help. I will also ask the museum curators to see if anybody knows the answer to your question