National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
de Bothezat Helicopter, Jerome (Eremeeff) Materials [Documents]
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
de Bothezat Helicopter, Jerome (Eremeeff) Materials [Photos]
Collection Creator:
National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
The majority of the Archives Department's public reference requests can be answered using material in these files, which may be accessed through the Reading Room at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. More specific information can be requested by contacting the Archives Research Request.
This collection consists of photographs belonging to John Wilton Rix that were taken at Hendon Aerodrome circa the 1910s as well as two images of the de Bothezat Helicopter in flight, circa 1922.
John Wilton Rix (1899-1958) worked with numerous prominent aviation companies. Born in England, Rix was interested in mechanical things from an early age and became something of a self-taught engineer. His interest in aviation also began at a young age when his family moved to live near Hendon Aerodrome. There, Rix would interact with many of the pilots of the day and sometimes would do minor jobs for them. During World War I, Rix served as a tank driver and after the War worked in engineering jobs or as a tool maker for various firms in England. In 1924, Rix and his wife relocated to the United States. From approximately 1926 until 1930, Rix worked with George de Bothezat as a factory manager for the De Bothezat Impeller Company in New York. From 1930 to 1934, Rix was employed at the Martin Aeroplane Factory in Garden City, Long Island, New York. Rix went to work for Waco Aircraft Company in Troy, Ohio in 1935 as a production engineer. In 1938, Rix took a leave of absence and went to England for six months during which time he served as a consultant for Avro. Rix went to work for Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas in 1940 before leaving to become a manufacturing consultant for Beech Aircraft in 1958.
Provenance:
James Rix, Gift, 2019, NASM.2019.0040
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This album contains eleven photographs of the de Bothezat Helicopter in flight, a photograph of Dr. George de Bothezat, an illustration of the de Bothezat Helicopter, and memorandum from the War Department Air Service Engineering Division from April 28, 1923 concerning the test flights of this helicopter at McCook Field.
Biographical / Historical:
During the early twenties many experimenters in aviation undertook the challenge of making a craft which would rise vertically and hover in the air. Realizing that such a machine would have military value for observation and fire-control, the war department of several nations encouraged such inventions. The de Bothezat Helicopter was developed by the U. S. Air Service, Engineering Division in 1921 with these ideas in mind. Dr. George de Bothezat, a noted Russian aeronautical engineer at the time, designed the helicopter. The de Bothezat was 65 feet long, 65 feet wide, and 10 feet high. It was powered with a 180 h.p. engine and weighed 3,600 lbs. The engine was located at the center above the four-wheeled chassis. Four triangular framework arms extended at right angles, and at their extremity each supported a six-bladed air screw, which is the chief feature of the de Bothezat. Many power tests were made at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. The test on December 18, 1922 was notable with a duration in the air of one minute 42 seconds which was attained at a maximum height of six feet.
Provenance:
Phillip Weiner, Gift, 2002
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
![View Hendon Aerodrome Photographs [Rix] digital asset: Finding aid](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=120&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/findingaid.gif "Finding aid")
