Little Nellie

Little Nellie

Film – You Only Live Twice

Overview
James Bond uses the Wallis autogyro no. G-ARZ B for surveillance work in Japan while attempting to locate Blofeld’s rocket base hidden on the southern islands. Operated under the code name Little Nellie, she proves to be a one-man air force, capable of defending herself and destroying a whole fleet of enemy aircraft. Designed by Wing Commander Ken Wallis, the autogyro offers the advantages of precise handling, safe operation, high ground speed, and high altitude operation.

Features
Engine Unlike a helicopter, only the Wallis autogyro’s rear engine provides power during flights. 

Top rotor Once airborne the top rotor freely spins by the force of air, creating an airfoil. 

Safe descent The design also allows for safe descent should the engine fail in flight. 

Trivia
Q Branch modifies the craft, outfitting it with an array of weapons and breaking it down so that it can fit into four alligator leather trunks.

The weapons include two fixed machine-guns firing incendiary and high-explosive bullets harmonised for targets 100yd (91.4m) ahead, two forward firing rocket launchers with seven rockets each, two heat seeking air-to-air missiles, two rear-firing flame guns with a range of 80 yd (73m) paired with smoke ejectors, and small high-explosive aerial mines.

Little Nellie also boasts radio communication and a helmet-mounted cine-camera triggered by using any of the forward-firing weapons. Bond uses these weapons as he battles four SPECTRE helicopters over the rocket base, destroying them one by one.