Planet Satellite(2008)

Coincidence – I was at Yeovilton only yesterday and found in their shop a copy of the 1992 book “The Redwing Story” by John Lane.

There is very brief mention in chapter 14 of the fact that Redwing were asked by Magnesium Electron (in 1947) to build the Satellite – according to Wiki it was built in Purley Way, Croydon but the book has a photo of the complete tail “hanging from the roof of the Redwing factory in Bensham Lane, Thornton Heath” and there looks like a wing in the background too.

Roger Smith.

Ha, it lives on, still think the Satellite was prettier though:)

Does this remind you of anything? Just in case it doesn’t I’ve added a second image as a clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It looks like a BD-5 for the family.
The original design of the BD also had a “V” tail.

To me it represented that immediate post-war British civilian aircraft industry, where small companies were doing their best to produce clean and fairly far sighted designs – alas for too small a market, and apparently with limited powerplant options.
The Satellite, Concordia, Aerovan (including variations & developments of it), Aerocar, were all up there in my probably rose tinted opinion!

I would love to read more, so please dig deep 😎

I guess its what you put in the word advanced.

In a strict scientific sense, these things had been done during the war, here regarding Magnesium alloy airframes.

XP56 Black bullet from 1943

The Germens also worked a lot with Magnesium alloys, including a full Magnesium skinned FW Condor.

The civilian marked had the XC-99 Convair from 1947.

But as you point out, the small group involved with this aircraft, actually did have a vision and their design was advanced for its scope.

Apart from this was a purely a civil market effort.

I have quite a bit on the Satellite, will dig it out.
It eventually became the Firth helicopter, which ended up at Cranfield, I’ve always wondered in any substantial parts remain somewhere?

Well, it was different anyway 😉

I have not found much about it (since seeing it for the first time today), but my first impression (mostly from wikipedia) there was nothing the Germans hadn’t tried before.

Not everything advanced makes it to the main stream.
I do think it was advanced in its lightweight alloy construction with central keel, rear mounted engine to reduce noise and increase visibilty, and it’s very aerodynamic fusalage shape.

Futuristic looking more than advanced IMO.

There were other designs like it before (shapewise anyway) and none of the concepts involved actually made it into mainstream aircraft design. So unless we adapt those concepts in the future, it really didn’t advance anything.

A very advanced (if woefully under stressed) concept, which really deserved to have more money and design time spent on it in my opinion.
I think the far later Chichester Miles Leopard came close in concept.

Bit more difficult to Google that one! G-ALOI.:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Satellite

Interesting little thing.