Firestone XR-14

XR-14
Role	Utility helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Firestone Aircraft Company
Status	Cancelled
Primary user	United States Army Air Forces
Developed from	Firestone XR-9

The Firestone XR-14 was a proposed 1940s American lightweight helicopter, designed by the Firestone Aircraft Company to operate in the liaison and observation helicopter for the United States Army Air Forces. Due to changing requirements no examples of the type were built.^[1]

Design and development

Three Firestone Model GA-50 helicopters were ordered by the United States Army Air Forces for evaluation in the liaison and observation roles, competing against the Bell XR-15 for a production contract. Derived from the Model GA-45 (XR-9) helicopter, the XR-14 was intended to be a four-seat aircraft, powered by a Continental A100 four-cylinder opposed piston engine; unconventionally, the XR-14 was intended to be equipped with two tail rotors. Prior to any of the aircraft being converted, however, the Army cancelled the contract; while Firestone attempted to market the GA-50 on the civilian market, no interest was forthcoming and the project was abandoned.^[2]

References

Notes

↑ Andrade 1979, p. 162
↑ Merrian 2002, p. 64

Bibliography

Andrade, John (1979). U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Hinckley, Leicastershire, UK: Midland Counties Publications. p. 171. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
Merriam, Ray (2002). World War II Journal #15: U. S. Warplanes of World War II, Volume 1. Bennington, Vermont: Merriam Press. p. 64. ISBN 1-57638-167-6. Retrieved 10 November 2011.

United States helicopter designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Numerical sequence used by USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941–present; US Army 1948–1956 and 1962–present; US Navy 1962–present

Main sequence
(1941–1962)

Prefix R-, 1941–1948	R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 R-5 R-6 R-7 R-8 R-9 R-10 R-11 R-12 R-13 R-14 R-15 R-16

Prefix H-, 1948–1962	H-5 H-6 H-9 H-10 H-11 H-12 H-13/J H-15 H-16 H-17 H-18 H-19 H-20 H-21 H-22 H-23 H-24 H-25 H-26 H-27 H-28 H-29 H-30 H-31 H-32 H-33 H-34 H-35 H-36¹ H-37 H-38¹ H-39 H-40 H-41 H-42 H-43 H-44¹ H-45¹

Main joint sequence
(1962–present)

1962 redesignations	OH-13/UH-13J UH-19 CH-21 OH-23 UH-25 CH-34 CH-37 HH-43

New designations	CH-46/HH-46/UH-46 CH-47 UH-48 XH-49 QH-50 XH-51 HH-52 CH-53/HH-53/MH-53/CH-53E/CH-53K CH-54 TH-55 AH-56 TH-57 OH-58 XH-59 UH-60/SH-60/HH-60/HH-60J YUH-61 XCH-62 YAH-63 AH-64 HH-65 RAH-66 TH-67 MH-68 H-69¹ ARH-70 VH-71 UH-72 H-73 to H-91¹ VH-92

1962 redesignations
reusing old numbers

¹ Not assigned

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Firestone XR-14

Design and development

See also

References