A rotary wing aircraft is provided with longitudinally oriented counter-rotating rotors with circumferentially spaced variable pitch elongated rotor blades connected at their opposite ends to rotatable support rings mounted on the aircraft fuselage. Rotor downwash may be guided laterally and longitudinally by respective sets of moveable guide vanes. Propulsion may be obtained by an engine providing thrust and power take-off for driving the rotors. An auxiliary or second engine may be drivingly connected to the rotors.