The first successful rotary-wing aircraft, the Autogiro, and its successor autogyros, gyroplanes, convertiplanes and Gyrocopters have captured the public attention since first taking to the air. This has been reflected in a variety of public media: magazine covers; American and Japanese cartoons; widely successful, Academy Award-winning (and not so successful) movies, children's literature, adult literature (fiction, science fiction, and just plain weird), song lyrics, fantasy illustration, advertising, poetry and video games. Since 1923 each of these has reflected the rise, fall and rebirth of this rotary-wing aircraft in its various forms. When seen in a chronological order, and against a backdrop of integrated media, a previously unseen history of the Autogiro/-gyroplane emerges that provides insight into its unique history and contributes to an understanding to its survival and potential 21st century renaissance.1
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