French car manufacturer, Citroën was not only famous for its super comfortable vehicle thanks to its hydropneumatic technology. However, manufacturers are based in the Saint Ouen's also been creating a helicopter.
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| Citroën's Wankel-powered RE-2 helicopter. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1lAAwoc) |
As reported by Autoevolution on Saturday, June 14, 2014, revealed that Citroën creates the helicopter in year of 1973. The helicopter named the RE-2 has a transport capacity for two people.
The idea of making this helicopter come from many American Bell 47 helicopters are milling about in the skies of France. Citroën as automotive companies were jealous and then create a diversified business by creating a helicopter that can use as their marketing weapon in the country.
Citroën's helicopter using a Wankel engine that can generate power of 170 and 190 horsepower. The Wankel engine is also used in the GS Birotor cars that produced in 1973.
RE-2 has received a pretty good reception, because of the innovative project to produce and sell about 850 units of the helicopter. Moreover, RE-2 has been using for fuel injection systems and rotor sizes are larger than other helicopters. This helicopter has a weight of 700 kg and has a cruising range as far as 430 km with a maximum speed reaches 205 kph.
The project which started in 1973 was completed in two years and a prototype of the RE-2 delivered to the French Air Force. Citroën had to wait for several months to obtain temporary flight permit from the French government while doing further development on RE-2.
Unfortunately, the age of the RE-2 only lasted for six years for the month of May 1979 Citroën halted the helicopter production. Currently, the last Citroën RE-2 seen on display at the museum belongs to the automotive companies. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOEVOLUTION]
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