Kaman HH-43 Huskie

HH-43 Huskie

HH-43 Huskie
Role	Firefighting/rescue
Manufacturer	Kaman Aircraft
First flight	1947
Status	Retired
Primary users	United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Navy

The Kaman HH-43 Huskie was a helicopter with intermeshing rotors used by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps from the 1950s until the 1970s. It was primarily used for aircraft firefighting and rescue in the close vicinity of air bases, but was later used as a short range overland search and rescue aircraft during the Vietnam War.

Under the aircraft designation system used by the U.S. Navy pre-1962 , Navy and U.S. Marine Corps versions were originally designated as the HTK, HOK or HUK, for their use as training, observation or utility aircraft, respectively.

Design and development

In 1947 Anton Flettner, a German aviation engineer, was brought to New York in the United States as part of Operation Paperclip.^[1] He was the developer of Germany's Flettner Fl 282 "Kolibri" (Hummingbird), a helicopter employing the "synchropter" principle of intermeshing rotors, a unique design principle that dispenses with the need for a tail rotor. Flettner settled in the United States and became the chief designer of the Kaman company, where he started to design new helicopters, using the synchropter principle.

The Huskie had an unusual intermeshing contra-rotating twin-rotor arrangement with control effected by servo-flaps. The first prototype flew in 1947 and was adopted by the U.S. Navy with a piston engine. In 1954, in an experiment by Kaman and the U.S. Navy, one HTK-1 was modified and flew with its piston engine replaced by two turbine engines, becoming the world's first twin-turbine helicopter.^[2] The Air Force later adopted a version with one turboshaft engine: HH-43B and F versions.

Operational history

This aircraft saw use in the Vietnam War with several detachments of the Pacific Air Rescue Center, the 33d, 36th, 37th, and 38th Air Rescue Squadrons, and the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, where the aircraft was known by its call sign moniker "Pedro". During the war, the two-pilot HH-43 Huskie flew more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined, because of its unique hovering capability. The HH-43 was eventually replaced by newer aircraft in the early 1970s.^[3]

Variants

A USAF Huskie aids a practice firefighting operation at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Vietnam in 1968

XHTK-1: two two-seat aircraft for evaluation
HTK-1: three-seat production version for the United States Navy, later became TH-43A, 29 built
XHTK-1G: one example for evaluation by the United States Coast Guard
HTK-1K: one example for static tests as a drone
XHOK-1: prototype of United States Marine Corps version, two built
HOK-1: United States Marine Corps version powered by a 600 hp R-1340-48 Wasp radial piston engine; later became OH-43D, 81 built
HUK-1: United States Navy version of the HOK-1 with R-1340-52 radial piston engine engine; later became UH-43C, 24 built
H-43A: USAF version of the HOK-1; later became the HH-43A, 18 built
HH-43A: post-1962 designation of the H-43A
H-43B: H-43A powered by an 860 shp Lycoming T-53-L-1B turboshaft engine, three-seats and full rescue equipment; later became HH-43B, 200-built
HH-43B: post-1962 designation of the H-43B
UH-43C: post-1962 designation of the HUK-1
OH-43D: post-1962 designation of the HOK-1
TH-43E: post-1962 designation of the HTK-1
HH-43F: HH-43B powered by an 825 shp T-53-L-11A turboshaft engine with reduced diameter rotors, 42 built and conversions from HH-43B
QH-43G: One OH-43D converted to drone configuration

Operators

One of 12 HH-43 Huskies acquired by Imperial Iranian Air Force in 1965

A Thai Kaman HH.34B at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum (2014)

Burma

Burmese Air Force^[4]

Colombia

Colombian Air Force^[5]

Imperial Iranian Air Force^[6]^[7]

Morocco

Royal Moroccan Air Force^[8]

Pakistan

Pakistan Air Force^[9]

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force^[10]^[11]

United States

Survivors

HH-43 (no variant designated)

Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware has HH-43, AF Serial Number 62-4532, on display.
The Helicopter Museum Bückeburg in Germany has an HH-43 on display.
The Pakistan Air Force Museum in Karachi, Pakistan has an HH-43 Huskie on static display in the open.

HH-43A

Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia has an HH-43A on display.
The New England Air Museum has an HH-43A (AF Ser. No. 58-1837) airframe stored.

HH-43B

A USAF Huskie at the Olympic Flight Museum (October 2014)

Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill Air Force Base, Utah has an HH-43B on display.^[15]
The Midland Air Museum in Coventry, England is carrying out a restoration on HH-43B, AF Ser. No. 62-4535. The aircraft is usually viewable on display; 24535 is one of only two examples on display in the UK.
The National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio has HH-43B, AF Serial Number 60-0263, on display. It was assigned to rescue duty with Detachment 3, 42nd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico prior to its retirement and flight to the museum in April 1973.^[12]
The Olympic Flight Museum in Olympia, Washington has an airworthy HH-43B Huskie in USAF markings on display.^[16]
The Military Firefighter Heritage Display on Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas has a restored HH-43B on display. The tail number displayed after restoration is 58-1481, but should probably be 58-1841 (its number before restoration, and a number corresponding to an HH-43B). This Huskie was a ground trainer (1959–1976) at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, so it retained the square-tail empennage that was removed from almost all other Huskies after repeated rotor strikes in heavy winds.
The Royal Thai Air Force Museum, Bangkok, Thailand has an HH-43B on display in the open.^[17]
HH-43B UB6166 is on display at the Defence Services Museum, Nayptitaw, Burma.^[18]

HH-43F

Castle Air Museum at the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California has an HH-43F, AF Serial Number 62-4513, on display.
The New England Air Museum has an HH-43F (AF Ser. No. 60-289) restored and currently in storage.
Kirtland Air Force Base has an HH-43, listed as an F-model, on display at the southeast corner of Doris Avenue and Aberdeen Drive (coord: 35.05446,-106.595158). This may be the same aircraft listed on other sites as being located at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, which has since moved off-base, but adjacent to, Kirtland Air Force Base.
The Pima Air & Space Museum, adjacent to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, has an HH-43F, AF Ser. No. 62-4531 on display.^[19] This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

HOK-1/OH-43D

Kaman HOK-1 (OH-43D) Huskie on display at Pima Air & Space Museum (March 2006)

The Flying Leathernecks Museum, MCAS Miramar, California displays Bureau Number (BuNo) 139990 in USMC markings. The aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at MCAS Pensacola, Florida. It was previously on display at MCAS Tustin, California, but was moved to MCAS Miramar after MCAS Tustin was closed and NAS Miramar was transferred from control of the Navy to the Marine Corps.
The Pima Air & Space Museum adjacent toDavis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, displays a HOK-1/OH-43D, BuNo 139974, in USMC markings. This aircraft is also on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum.
The U.S. Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama has a Marine Corps HOK-1/OH-43D, BuNo 138101, in storage. BuNo 138101 was formerly displayed indoors at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida (circa 2000-2001) in a dark blue finish with USMC markings. It was repainted from its original USMC markings to pre-Vietnam U.S. Army colors when it was loaned to the Army by the National Naval Aviation Museum.
The Carolinas Aviation Museum at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, has a HOK-1/OH-43D, BuNo 139990, in Marine Corps markings. The aircraft is currently under restoration.
The New England Air Museum has a HOK-1/OH-43D airframe, BuNo 129801, stored.

HTK-1/TH-43E

The Tillamook Air Museum has a HTK-1/TH-43E airframe, BuNo 129313, in Navy markings on display at Tillamook Airport (former Naval Air Station Tillamook) in Tillamook, Oregon.^[20]

In addition to museum displays, including the airworthy example at the Olympic Flight Museum, there are also a number of former USAF, USN and USMC Huskies in private hands, purchased for agricultural or general operations.

Specifications (HH-43F)

Data from National Museum of the United States Air Force ^[12]

General characteristics

Crew: Four: two pilots, two rescue crew
Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.6 m)
Main rotor diameter: 2× 47 ft in (14.3 m)
Height: 17 ft 2 in (5.18 m)
Gross weight: 9,150 lb (4,150 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming T53 turboshaft, 860 hp (640 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h)
Cruise speed: 105 mph (169 km/h)
Range: 185 miles (298 km)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)

References

Notes

↑ Boyne, Walter J. (2011). How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare. Pelican Publishing. p. 45. ISBN 1-58980-700-6.
↑ "Twin Turborotor Helicopter." Popular Mechanics, August 1954, p. 139.
↑ "Vietnam Air Losses", Chris Hobson, Midland Publishing, Hinckley, LE10 3EY, UK, c2001, P. 258, ISBN 1-85780-115-6
↑ "FlightGlobal World Helicopter Market - Page 49". flightglobal.com. July 1968. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
↑ "FlightGlobal World Helicopter Market - Page 50". flightglobal.com. July 1968. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
↑ "IIAF HISTORY". Copyright © 1999-2012 IIAF.net. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
↑ "Iran Air Force HH-43F Huskie". Demand media. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
↑ "Military Helicopter Market 1971 pg. 579". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
↑ "Decommissioned Aircraft PAKISTAN AIR FORCE". Retrieved 26 January 2013.
↑ "ROYAL (Archives) THAI AIR FORCE" (PDF). RTAF.af. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
↑ "Kaman HH-43B Huskie (K-600)". Demand media. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
1 2 3 "Kaman HH-43 Huskie." National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved: 5 September 2015.
↑ "Kaman HOK-1 (OH-43D) Huskie US MARINES". H43-huskie.com. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
↑ "Kaman HUK-1 (UH-43C) Huskie US NAVY". H43-huskie.com. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
↑ "HH-43B "Huskie" Fact sheet." hill.af.mil, 19 October 2010. Retrieved: 26 June 2011.
↑ "HH-43 Huskie." Olympic Flight Museum Collection, Olympia, Washington. Retrieved: 17 January 2011.
↑ "Building 5: Helicopters and last propeller fighter." Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Retrieved: 17 January 2011.
↑ "Preservation Notes - Myanmar". Air-Britain News (Air-Britain): 380. March 2014.
↑ "Kaman HH-43F Huskie." Pima Air & Space Museum. Retrieved: 30 January 2012.
↑ "Tillamook AIR Museum , OR".

Bibliography

Chiles, James R. The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks: The Story of the Helicopter. New York: Bantam Books, 2007. ISBN 0-553-80447-2.
Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume II. London: Putnam, 1997. ISBN 0-85177-827-5.
Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004. Fyshwick, Canberra, Act, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 2003, p. 155. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
Munson, Kenneth. Helicopters and other Rotorcraft since 1907. London: Blandford Publishing, 1968. ISBN 978-0-7137-0493-8.
Thicknesse, P. Military Rotorcraft (Brassey's World Military Technology series). London: Brassey's, 2000. ISBN 1-85753-325-9.
Wragg, David W. Helicopters at War: A Pictorial History. London: R. Hale, 1983. ISBN 0-7090-0858-9.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kaman HH-43 Huskie.

Aircraft produced by Kaman Aircraft

Company designations	K-16 K-17 K-20 K-125 K-190 K-225 K-240 K-600 K-700 K-1125 K-1200 K-Max KSA-100

Military designations	HOK HTK HUK H-22 H-43 HU2K/UH-2 HH-2 SH-2 SH-2G

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-89¹ MH-90 H-91¹ VH-92

1962 redesignations
reusing old numbers

¹ Not assigned

USN helicopter designations pre-1962

Helicopter, Anti-submarine

Bell	HSL

Sikorsky	HSS-1 HSS-2

Helicopter, Crane

McDonnell	HCH

Helicopter, Observation

Convertawings	HOC

Hiller	HOE

Gyrodyne	HOG

Kaman	HOK

Sikorsky	HOS HO2S HO3S HO4S HO5S

Helicopter, Trainer pre-1948

Sikorsky	HNS

Helicopter, Trainer 1948-1962

Hiller	HTE

Kaman	HTK

Bell	HTL

Helicopter, Transport 1944-1962

Boeing Vertol	HRB

McDonnell	HRH

Piasecki	HRP

Sikorsky	HRS HR2S HR3S

Helicopter, Utility pre-1949

McDonnell	HJD

McDonnell	HJH

Piasecki	HJP

Sikorsky	HJS

Helicopter, Utility 1950-1962

Kaman	HUK HU2K

Bell:	HUL

McCulloch	HUM

Piasecki	HUP

Sikorsky	HUS HU2S

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, May 01, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.