The Juan de la Cierva reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Juan de la Cierva

Juan de la Cierva was a Spanish aeronautical engineer and pilot. His most famous accomplishment was the invention of the autogyro in 1923. The autogyro is a highly maneuverable aircraft with an unpowered rotor. It was a predecessor to the modern helicopter. During the Spanish Civil War, he supported Francisco Franco's side. He died in a fixed-wing plane accident.

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