The Chu Hummingbird was an experimental co-axial helicopter developed by

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

aviation engineer

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

C. J. Chu (朱家仁) in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

during the 1940s in two versions, designated the Model A and Model B. Model A was a single seat double rotor test craft used for static (non-flying) test and made its debut in March 1948. This model was destroyed when the rotor broke off. A replacement craft named Model B was introduced in 1948 and was able to fly, but the aircraft was abandoned when Chu left for

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...

. Not much is known about either model, as they were abandoned in

after 1949 as Chu evacuated to

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

after the victory of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. A successor model, the

CJC-3 CJC-3 was an experimental tandem rotor helicopter developed in Taiwan during the 1950s under the director of Major General C.J. Chu (朱家仁). Chu was a Chinese aeronautics engineer, who returned to China following his graduation from MIT in ...

, was developed by Chu in

in the 1950s.

Specifications (Hummingbird Model A/B)

Jia or Model A * Number of seats: 1 * Engine:

Kinner B-5 The Kinner B-5 was a popular five cylinder American radial engine for light general and sport aircraft of the 1930s. Design and development The B-5 was a development of the earlier K-5 with slightly greater power and dimensions. The main change ...

* Rotor diameter: 4.8 m (approx.) * Gross weight: 589.5 kg * Maximum speed (level flight): 136 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn) * Maximum climb rate: 910m * Ceiling: Unknown * Range: 219 km Yi or Model B * Number of seats: 1 * Engine:

* Rotor diameter: 4.8 m (approx.) * Gross weight: 589.5 kg * Maximum speed (level flight): 136 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn) * Maximum climb rate: 910m * Ceiling: Unknown * Range: 219 km

References

Aviation in China 1940s Chinese experimental aircraft 1940s Republic of China helicopters Single-engined piston helicopters {{aero-1940s-stub