First flight of the Herrick HV-1 Vertaplane
Friday, November 6, 1931 - Near Philadelphia, United States of America
This is a Notable Operational milestone.
Description:
The aircraft was the first aircraft of a concept for an aircraft that could convert between fixed-wing and rotary-wing lift in flight. This flight was carried out in fixed-wing mode although the aircraft also flew later as a gyroplane. The aircraft subsequently crashed during an in-flight conversion from fixed-wing to gyroplane mode. The pilot, Merrill Lambert, was killed when his parachute failed to open after the aircraft went out of control.
SSource: "Herrick HV-2A Vertaplane", AHS History Calendar web page for July 2012
