Raoul Hafner - Visionary • Inventor • Helicopter Pioneer - 23 November 2026
Raoul Hafner was one of the most original figures in the development of rotary-wing flight. From his early experiments in Vienna, through the extraordinary wartime Rotachute and Rotabuggy, to the Bristol Sycamore and later convertiplane ideas, Hafner continually challenged conventional thinking about vertical flight.
In this richly illustrated lecture, Mike O'Donoghue traces Hafner's remarkable life and work through photographs, drawings, contemporary documents and the recollections of those who worked with him. He will be joined by Ben Clothier, Hafner's grandson, and Giles Austin, son of Hafner's colleague Reg Austin, adding personal connections to a story whose legacy can still be seen in the Museum today.
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Raoul Hafner was one of the most original figures in the development of rotary-wing flight. From his early experiments in Vienna, through the extraordinary wartime Rotachute and Rotabuggy, to the Bristol Sycamore and later convertiplane ideas, Hafner continually challenged conventional thinking about vertical flight.
In this richly illustrated lecture, Mike O'Donoghue traces Hafner's remarkable life and work through photographs, drawings, contemporary documents and the recollections of those who worked with him. He will be joined by Ben Clothier, Hafner's grandson, and Giles Austin, son of Hafner's colleague Reg Austin, adding personal connections to a story whose legacy can still be seen in the Museum today.
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