Juan de la Cierva 125 -- September 21, 2020

 

Washington Star, 24-August-1929

Spanish pilot and aircraft engineer Juan de la Cierva was born 125 years ago today, on 21-September-1895. He created the first practical rotary wing aircraft, the autogyro. 

Autogyro -- November 1, 2011

Actress Jean Harlow poses with an autogyro and, according to one source, Regia Aeronautica pilot Lieutenant Tito Falconi. This may be around 1933, when Johnny Miller flew an autogyro at several air racing events around the United States. Tenente Falconi held the world record for flying upside-down.