German Helicopter Testing At Sea, 1940s - Film 36306

World War Two or thereabouts.
Modular German prototype helicopter is uncovered on the deck of a boat. The vehicle is pushed onto a landing pad area and the rotors are fitted one by one. A swastika is on the tail flap, model number GF + YF on the aircraft side. The craft is a Flettner FI 282 Kolibri or Hummingbird in English. A pilot climbs into the seat and is strapped in, it is an open cockpit, more like a gyrocopter. The rotor blades start spinning and the pilot takes off. Another view of the helicopter taking off from the ship's deck. Filmed in flight as it circles the ship. It hovers over the sea, just beneath the waves the tip of a U-boat can be seen. The helicopter drops a smoke bomb into the water. View of ship, crew on deck. Crewman signals with a light from the boat. View from ship's control room. Helicopter flies past and drops a small bomb, which explodes in the sea. The helicopter hovers with a rope hanging down to the sea, a man in the water grabs the rope and the helicopter drags him into an inflatable boat. The crew watch eagerly from the side of the ship. A man in a rubber dinghy climbs up some steps to board the ship. The Hummingbird helicopter drops a rope onto the ship's deck which is then anchored on deck and helps pull the aircraft into landing position on the deck. Several takes of this manoeuvre. Rotor blades are removed and stored away onboard the ship. The rest of the helicopter is stored under an expandable canopy, like a tent.