Ken Wallis, Autogyro Pilot For Sean Connery, Dies At 97

Above, 'Q' (Desmond Llewelyn) and James Bond (Sean Connery) review the functions of the autogyro "Little Nellie."

Back in October 1966, I saw a demonstration of the autogyro mini-helicopter at the annual Point Mugu Airshow.

The following year, the autogyro was featured as "Little Nellie" in the James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice, starring Sean Connery and Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama.

MI6-HQ.com, a website of James Bond enthusiasts, reports that the stunt pilot for Sean Connery of "Little Nellie" has died at the age of 97.

They wrote:

Commander Ken Wallis, known the world over to James Bond fans as the inventor and pilot of the auto-gyro seen in the 1967 adventure "You Only Live Twice" as Little Nellie, has died at the age of 97. 

Wing Commander Kenneth Horatio Wallis MBE, DEng (hc), CEng, FRAeS, FSETP, PhD (hc), RAF (Ret'd), was a leading exponent on autogyros and has held, and in some cases still holds, 34 records related to them.

To read the full article, go here.