Dumbarton Firsts, 1912

Leven Walkway, Dumbarton

Edward Mumford and J. Pollock Brown designed the first prototype [helicopter] and it had its maiden flight in 1908. The engine was found to be unreliable and heavy and with alterations it rose in the air under its own power on 7th September 1912. A final version was test run took place on the river in 1914 but the outbreak of World War I meant that further testing was halted. Quoted from the Scottish Maritime website