The Aerostatoplan, also known as the Vertoplan, was a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft with a tilt-wing design.
Proposed in 1937 by the esteemed ex-Russian designer Nikolai I Žučenko, it received financial backing from the Yugoslav Air Force for development and construction at the Ikarus Factory.
A single-seat prototype was built, featuring a full-wood structure with canvas covering and a high-ranked three-point chassis.
Its trapezoidal wing, spanning approximately 6.7 metres, was meant to rotate on a hollow beam that housed the propellers.
However, the aircraft lacked cyclic control, making it impossible to direct along all three axes.
During tests, the aircraft failed to achieve lift-off due to the underpowered 37Kw Walter Mikron engine.
Testing commenced in 1939, but World War II halted any further progress on this innovative aircraft.
