The latest exhibit to join the collection at The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare is currently en route from Brecqhou in the Channel Islands. The unique Julian CD Wombat gyrocopter is due to arrive at Weston on July 9 and should be on display by the following weekend.
Developed by former speedway rider Chris Julian in 1990 and built in Cornwall, the James Bond style Wombat was a progression of light autogyro technology originated by Igor Bensen in the United States. Julian used his engineering know-how to carry out significant improvements and carried out a series of test flights with the aircraft between late 1991 and early 1997, when he was killed in an unconnected gyroglider crash at Kemble airfield.
The one-off Wombat and design rights later passed to Mark Harrison, a resident of Brecqhou, who eventually abandoned further development and has now donated the gyrocopter to the Museum. The aircraft will now form part of the Museum’s larger autogyro collection that dates from 1935 to the present day.
The single-seat Wombat is registered G-WBAT and powered by a 61hp Rotax piston engine.
