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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0678.PDF
308 FLIGHT, 12 March 1954 McCulloch MC-4C. Helicopters 1954 . . . CESSNA PROJECT • The helicopter division of the Cessna Aircraft Company, which took over the Seibel designs described in our former review, is now developing a new, all-metal, 2/4- seater helicopter, but details are unlikely to be available until the middle part of this year. HILLER HJ-1 HORNET (H-32 AND HOE) • The Hiller Hornet HJ-1, as now in small-scale production for the U.S. Navy, the Marines and the Army, bears little resemblance to the first Hornet, which was constructed solely to demonstrate the practic ability of ramjet-propelled rotor blades. Under the Navy designation HOE and the Army designation H-32, the type is intended primarily as a trainer. Power is provided by two Hiller 8RJRBC ramjets, each developing about 30 lb net thrust and weighing 11 lb, mounted on the tips of the two-blade rotor. There are no moving parts whatsoever in the ramjets and they may be changed in a matter of minutes with no other tool than a screwdriver. Before these units can be started the rotor must be spun at 150 r.p.m. by some extraneous means, i.e., a 1 h.p. petrol engine, which is itself started by a cord. Once the main rotor is revolving the main fuel-flow valves are opened and the starter button pressed, thereby activating a magneto and energizing elec trodes in the ramjets. The cyclic-pitch control column is of the hanging type, branched for use by either occupant, and the collective-pitch levers incorporate the fuel-flow valve. With an empty weight of little more than 500 lb, the HJ-1 can lift more than its own weight. The rotor diameter is 23ft and the height 8ft. HILLER MODEL 12B (H-23B AND HTE-2) • The Hiller 12B is a commercial helicopter built to sell for $36,000. The U.S. Army's H-23B is generally similar but is arranged for training and casualty evacuation; additionally it is used to familiarize Army personnel with helicopter operations and tactical employment, and mapping in Alaska has also been undertaken with this model. The U.S. Navy's HTE-2 is the standard helicopter trainer in the Naval Reserve helicopter programme of that Ser vice, and is also employed for liaison, recruiting, photography and on miscellaneous public relations activities. Twenty HTE-2s have been supplied to the Royal Navy. The following descrip tion applies essentially to all models. The two-blade main rotor is provided with the Hiller "paddle control" system of servo rotors, which tilt the rotor head to effect cyclic pitch change. The blades of the main rotor have a steel spar along the leading edge and are built of solid wood laminations covered with Fibreglass and having stainless steel along the nose portion. The cabin enclosure is supported by a semi-monocoque platform structure with the seats, controls, engine mounting and undercarriage. A characteristic feature is the corrugated-metal boom which stems from the bottom of the main structure and. carries the tail rotor. The engine, a Franklin Model 6V4-200-C33, is fan-cooled and is mounted with the main shaft vertical. The cockpit has three side-by-side seats with dual controls, and the cyclic pitch levers and collective pitch levers are to the left of the seats. In the casualty evacuation role the H-23B carries two folding stretchers, one on each side of the cabin. The 12B and H-23B have a wide-track, skid-type undercarriage, whereas the HTE-2 has a four-wheel gear with Hiller shock-absorber struts. Leading particulars are: rotor diam., 35ft; length, 38.7ft; height, 9.8ft; max. fuselage width, 5ft; disc loading, 2.6 lb/sq ft; empty weight (12B), 1,656 lb; gross weight, 2,500 lb; fuel capa city, 28 gal; cruising speed at s.l., 70 m.p.h.; top speed at s.l., 84 m.p.h.; rate of climb at s.l., 770 ft/min; hovering ceiling in ground effect, 3,200ft; service ceiling, 9,400ft; range, 135 miles. HOPPI-COPTERS • It is stated by Hoppi-Copters, Inc., that they are working on a new model of their tiny single-seat helicopter, though they consider it too early yet to furnish pictures or data. Illustrated is one of the later models of the preceding series, powered by a single 45 h.p. engine. It has co-axial rotors of 18ft diameter, and weighs 450 lb all-up. The designed maximum and cruising speeds are 60 m.p.h. and 45 m.p.h. respectively, and the maximum range 150 miles. McCULLOCH MC-4C • An Approved Type Certificate for this twin-rotor helicopter wis issued early last year, and the pro totype underwent tests with the U.S. Army under the designation YH-30. The machine has two tandem seats and is powered with a 200 h.p. Franklin 6A4-2006-C6, which drives a horizontal shaft through the upper fuselage, the rotors in turn being driven through right-angle reduction-gear units of 4.44 :1 ratio. A vee-belt central drive links the engine to the main shaft. Data are: rotor diam., 23ft; length, 32ft 5in; weight empty, 1,600 lb; gross weight, 2,300 lb; max. speed, 105 m.p.h.; cruising speed. 85 m.p.h.: max. rate of climb, 1,000 ft/min; service ceiling, 10,000ft; range at 75 m.p.h., 200 miles. McCULLOCH SINGLE-SEATER • The U.S.A.F. is reported to be showing interest in a 45 h.p. single-seat McCulloch helicopter having an empty weight of 210 lb and a gross weight of 500 lb. HELICOPTER CONSTRUCTORS Great Britain: Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., Filton, Bristol; Fairey Aviation Co., Ltd., Hayes, Mddx.; Percival Aircraft, Ltd., Luton Airport, Beds; Saunders-Roe, Ltd., Osborne, East Cowes, Isle of Wight; Westland Aircraft, Ltd , Yeovil, Somerset. France: Sociste Na'ionale de Constructions Ae~o- nautiques du Sud-Est, 6 Avenue Marceau, Pa~is (Vllle); Societe National de Construction Aero- nautiques du Sud-Ouest, 105 Avenue Raymond-Poincare, Paris (XVIe). Italy: Giovanni Agusta, Cascina Costa, Gallarate (Varese), Ita'y. US A.: American Helicopter Co., Inc., 3613 Aviation Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, California; Bell Air craft Corporation, P.O. Box 1, Bvffalo 5, N.Y.; Bensen Aircraft Corporation, P.O. Box 2621, Raleigh, N.C.; Canamerican Helicopter Manufac turing Co., Ltd., Broo'dyn, New York; Cessna Aircraft Company, Wichita, Kansas; Doman Heli copters, Inc., Municipal Airport. Danbury, Con necticut; Gyrodyne Comnany of Amerira, Inc., St. James, Long Island, N.Y.; Hiller Helicopters, Inc., 1350 Willow Road, Palo Alto, California; Hoppi-Copters. Inc., 713 1411, 4th Avenue B-i'd-ing, Seattle 1, Washington; Hughes Aircraft Com pany, Florence Avenue at Teale Street, Culver City, Cal.; Raman Aircraft Corporation, Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, Connecticut; Kellett Air craft Corporation, Central Airpo-t, Camden 11, New Jersey; McCulloch Motors Corporation, Air craft Division, 9775 Airport Boulevard, Los Aneeles 45, Cal.; McDonnell Aircraft Corpora'ion, St. Louis 2, Missouri; Penn E'.anic Company. Inc.; 20 Maplewood Avenue, Philadelphia, 44; Piasecki He'icopter Corporation, Morton, Pennsylvania; Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Cor poration, South Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut.
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