Sud-Ouest
SO 1221 Djinn
Photo: Robert Deering 7/16/2014
American Helicopter Museum
West Chester, Pennsylvania

Sud-Ouest S.O.1221 Djinn

The Sud-Ouest S.O.1221 Djinn is a French two-seat light helicopter designed and built by Sud-Ouest later Sud Aviation. The helicopter rotors were driven by compressed-air jets at the end of each blade.

Experience with the earlier Ariel experimental tip jet helicopter led Sud-Ouest to develop a practical light helicopter, the S.O.1221 Djinn. It did not use the same tip jet system but relied on compressed air being fed to the ends of the rotor blades. Apart from its method of propulsion the Djinn was a conventional helicopter with a two-seat side-by-side cabin and a Turbomeca Palouste turbo-compressor behind. The aircraft had an uncovered tail-boom with twin fins and a rudder. Because of the torque-free rotor propulsion, it did not need an anti-torque tail rotor.

A single seat prototype (designated S.O.1220) tested the power concept and first flew on 2 January 1953. This was a simple uncovered structure with an exposed seat for the pilot. This proved the viability of the propulsion system and five two-seat prototypes were then built as the S.O.1221, the first flew on 16 December 1953. Within a few days the helicopter had climbed to an altitude of 4,789 m (15,712 ft) to establish a record in its class.

The French Army encouraged the building of a pre-production batch of 22 helicopters for evaluation. The first pre-production aircraft flew on 23 September 1954. Three of these pre-production helicopters were acquired by the United States Army for evaluation as the YHO-1. The French Army ordered 100 helicopters and six were bought by the German Army. The French Army used the helicopter for liaison, observation, training, and with one-pilot and two external litters for casualty evacuation.

Production ended in the mid-1960s after 178 Djinns had been built. Some helicopters were sold to civil operators for agricultural use fitted with chemical tanks and spray bars.

Operators

France: 
French Air Force
French Army, 100 helicopters in two batches of 50
Germany
German Army, eight for evaluation.
Switzerland
Swiss Air Force four helicopters for evaluation.
United States
United States Army, three for evaluation as the YHO-1.

Sud-Quest Aircraft

SNCASO (Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sud-ouest, or commonly, Sud-Ouest) was a French aircraft manufacturer, which originated on November 16, 1936, from the merger of the factories of Blériot of Suresnes, Bloch of Villacoublay and Courbevoie, SASO (Société Aéronautique du Sud-Ouest) of Bordeaux-Mérignac, UCA (Usine de Construction Aéronautique) of Bordeaux-Bègles, SAB (Société Aérienne Bordelaise) of Bordeaux-Bacalan and Lioré et Olivier of Rochefort. Additionally, SNCASO built a factory in Déols in 1936.

SNCASO took over SNCAO's assets in 1941.

On March 1, 1957, SNCASO merged with SNCASE (Société nationale de constructions aéronautiques du sud-est), to form Sud Aviation.

Aircraft products

  • SO.30 Bretagne
  • SO.90 Corse
  • SO.95 Corse II
  • SO.1100
  • SO.1120 Ariel
  • SO.1220 Djinn
  • SO.1310 Farfadet
  • SO.3050 1945 tourer
  • SO.4000
  • SO.M-1
  • SO.M-2
  • SO.4050 Vautour
  • SO.6000 Triton
  • SO.6020 Espadon
  • SO.7010 Pégase
  • SO.7060 Deauville
  • SO.8000 Narval
  • SO.9000 Trident I
  • SO.9050 Trident II

Source: Wikipedia