page_title: Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment
section_title: Wartime developments (1942–1944)
hierarchical_section_title: Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment / Wartime developments (1942–1944)
caption_attribution_description: English: Hafner Rotachute
context_page_description: The Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment was a branch of the British Air Ministry, that researched and developed non-traditional airborne applications, such as gliders, rotary wing aircraft, and dropping of personnel and equipment by parachute, in the period 1942–1950.
context_section_description: Manned trials of the Rotachute began in early 1942, towed firstly behind ground vehicles, then behind aircraft. The original concept proved difficult to achieve with safety and stability, but flights continued to help research flight characteristics for a follow-on project, the Hafner Rotabuggy, an air-towed land vehicle with autogiro capabilities. On 1 July 1942, because of intensive activity at Ringway, AFEE moved to RAF Sherburn-in-Elmet, as part of RAF No. 21 Group. Development of the Rotabuggy took place mostly in 1943, but its planned role was taken over by the development of heavy gliders. In the period 1942–1944, trials of rotary wing and parachute developments were conducted at Ringway, Sherburn-in-Elmet and during detachments to various other airfields, such as RAF Snaith, RAF Chelveston, RAF Newmarket, RAF Riccall, RAF Burn, RAF Hartford Bridge, RAF Farnborough and RAF Beaulieu. A large and varied fleet of powered support aircraft was used, mostly for parachute-dropping and glider-towing. Those included examples of Bombay, Dakota, Halifax, Hector, Heyford, Hudson, Lysander, Manchester, Martinet, Master, Mitchell, Mosquito, Overstrand, Spitfire, Stirling, Tiger Moth, Warwick, Wellington, Whitley, Wildcat. Gliders tested included Baynes Bat, Hamilcar, Hengist, Horsa, Hotspur and Twin Hotspur. AFEE also conducted testing of captured rotary wing aircraft, such as examples of the Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 'kite' autogiro.
caption: Ground test of a Rotachute III at Ringway, 1942
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