The early Russian TsAGI autogyros were strongly influenced by the work of Juan de la Cierva and their 1931 designed A-4 was broadly similar to the Avro-built 1929 Cierva C.19, with a pylon mounted rotor, forward tractor configuration engine, small wings with ailerons and a conventional tail.

A 220 kW (300 hp) M-26 (KIM) 7-cylinder radial engine was mounted in the nose, cowled in a Townend ring and with its output shaft pointing downwards at an angle of 4.5°.

There were two open cockpits in tandem, the forward, passenger seat ahead of the wing trailing edge and close to the rotor axis.

Small like the wing, the tailplane was braced from below and had swept leading edges; its elevators were more generous, with rounded tips and a large cut-out for rudder movement.

To the pilot's right there was a lever which enabled the rotor to be connected to the engine via reducing gears for jump starts and to ease heavy landings.