loading image

One of the first uses of aluminum in rotor blades was in the Hiller XH-44 “Hiller-copter”, designed and built by Stanley Hiller, Jr. (1924–2006) in 1944 at the age of nineteen. A 1:8 scale model of a Hiller XH-44 is shown here. Prior helicopter rotor blade designs, such as on the Sikorsky VS-300, were primarily constructed of wood and had a slight amount of flexibility. The XH-44 featured two rigid, counter-rotating rotor blades designed to cancel out the torque caused by a single main rotor, which in turn eliminated the need for a tail rotor to counteract the spinning of the helicopter. They required the rigidity of aluminum in order to prevent contact at high revolutions, potentially causing severe damage to both. By the 1960s, most helicopter rotors were made out of aluminum, often combined with other materials. In recent decades, helicopter rotors have been constructed of composite materials. "Aluminum: The Miracle Metal of Aviation" is on display, pre-security, in the Aviation Museum and Library in the International Terminal. http://bit.ly/AviationAluminum This image was posted on April 25, 2019.

Similar Instagram posts

One of the first uses of aluminum in rotor blades was in the Hiller XH-44 “Hiller-copter”, designed and built by Stanley Hiller, Jr. (1924–2006) in 1944 at the age of nineteen. This image was posted on April 25, 2019. #aviationaluminum #aluminum #design #industrialdesign #avgeek #helicopter #modelaircraft
One of the first uses of aluminum in rotor blades was in the Hiller XH-44 “Hiller-copter”, designed and built by Stanley Hiller, Jr. (1924–2006) in 1944 at the age of nineteen. This image was posted on April 25, 2019. #aviationaluminum #aluminum #design #industrialdesign #avgeek #helicopter #modelaircraft
Designed by Republic Aircraft’s test pilot and engineer Percival Hopkins "Spence" Spencer, the RC-3 Seabee was an all-metal, single-engine, sport amphibian aircraft introduced in 1946. This image was posted on May 17, 2018. #aviationevolutions #jimlund #republic #seabee #amphibian #avgeek #avationgeek #aviation #aviationhistory #vintageaviation #history #avhistory #aviationgeeks #modelplane #avgeeks #modelaircraft #airplane #aircraft
In addition to the aviation publications from our special collections in the exhibition “Early Birds” are aircraft models on view courtesy of Jim Lund. This image was posted on December 02, 2015.
The Stinson Model A was one of the last commercial airliners produced in the United States with a steel-tube and fabric fuselage. This image was posted on October 03, 2018. #aviationevolutions #jimlund #avgeek #aviationgeek #aviation #aviationhistory #vintageaviation #history #aviationgeeks #modelplane #scalemodel #avgeeks
The Curtiss Condor T-32 was the first land-based, luxury-sleeper-berth-equipped airliner to go into service, beginning in 1933 with American Airways (later American Airlines) and Eastern Air Transport (later Eastern Air Lines). This image was posted on November 17, 2017. #aviationevolutions #jimlund #avgeek #avationgeek #aviation #aviationhistory #aviationlovers #vintageaviation #history #avhistory #aviationgeeks #instaplane #flying #modelplane #flight #airline #avgeeks #aviation4u #aviationdaily #modelaricraft #airplane #aircraft
The all-metal Ford Tri-Motor, or “Tin Goose,” as it was nicknamed, had a substantial impact on the early advancement of commercial aviation in the late 1920s. This image was posted on August 30, 2018. #aviationevolutions #jimlund #avgeek #aviationgeek #aviation #aviationhistory #vintageaviation #history #aviationgeeks #modelplane #scalemodel #avgeeks #fordtrimotor #1920s
Introduced in the late 1930s, the British-produced Short S.30 series of aircraft was a large-capacity double-deck flying boat. This image was posted on January 17, 2019. #aviationevolutions #jimlund #avgeek #aviationgeek #aviation #aviationhistory #vintageaviation #history #aviationgeeks #modelplane #scalemodel #avgeeks #auckland #sydney #teal

This post mentions the following things involved with the SFO Museum collection:

Aluminum: The Miracle Metal of Aviation
This aviation exhibition was on display between March 2019 and 2017~ in the AML Aviation Museum Gallery 01 gallery, located in International Terminal
Aluminum: The Miracle Metal of Aviation
This aviation exhibition was on display between 2017~ and July 2019 in the AML Aviation Museum Gallery 01 gallery, located in International Terminal