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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1415.PDF
23 September 1955 527 U.S. ARMY MY exploration of the static show began with the Army—aService which is seeking to secure the independence of its air branch and advance its status. One of the means to this end(it was pointed out to me by that oracular observer/recorder Jim Fahey) had been the stencilling of white king-sized "Army"inscriptions on every machine in place of the former self-effacing legend. There follow notes concerning a few of the aircraft, and someof the more notable static exhibits. Piasecki H-21C Work Horse. A 15,000 lb, twin-rotor heli-copter taking pilot, co-pilot, 12 stretcher patients and attendant, or crew and 20 troops. Declared speed was 110 knots, range 600miles, and service ceiling over 20,000ft (considerably higher than generally quoted figures). At the opening ceremony Mr. Charles C. Finucane, Under-secretary of the Army, presented a citation to the 509th Army Helicopter Company of Fort Belvoir, Va.—equipped withH-21Cs—for their rescue and supply operations in the recent disastrous floods. In 189 hours' flying the Piaseckis evacuated220 persons, lifted 45,570 lb of food, medical supplies and general cargo, and flew 13,160 miles over the stricken areas of Pennsyl-vania, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. Their work will continue through "Operation Noah," the Army's name forthe Corps of Engineers' reclamation work in the flood areas. Piasecki H-2SA Army Mule. The Army regards this heli-copter as an interim model for casualty evacuation, operational training and general utility. It takes the pilot, three stretchercases and attendant, or pilot and 640 lb of cargo. Sikorsky H-34A. This is the Army's version of the SikorskyS-58, a scaled-up development of the S-55 powered by the Wright R-1820 Cyclone. A typical service load is 12-14 fully equippedtroops or 3,000 lb of cargo. Douglas Nike. Philadelphia itself is surrounded by Nike.ground-to-air guided missile installations in various stages of completion, and the defences are already operational. Displayed. by the locally based Battery "C" of the 506th A.A.A. Msl Battn (Launching Area, as distinct from the Integrated Fire Controlarea, I was told) was a Nike on its launcher, the latter labelled "System XSAM-A-7 Rail Launching." For our photograph thelieutenant in charge obligingly had the launcher raised to its firing position, at an 85-deg angle. Nike is about 20ft long and2ft in diameter. Its present range of some 30 miles is being increased through Army research and development. Already itis considered "nearly infallible" against targets flying at levels up to 50,000ft. The Army declares that while most individuals desiretheir communities to be defended, some people think the Nikes should be located elsewhere than in their own backyards. Sitelocation, however, is technically of first importance, and sites are .being located and built accordingly. Miscellaneous Army Exhibits. The Army QuartermasterCorps showed the 32ft nylon parachute now used by U.S. para- troopers, which permits jumps from aircraft flying at 175 m.p.h.When the user reaches the end of his 15ft static line the canvas pack containing the suspension lines and canopy is jerked offhis back, and as he continues to fall the lines make their exit, followed by the canopy. This action takes place above his bodyand is claimed to reduce greatly the possibility of entanglement. Formerly the static line pulled off the cover of the parachute-pack,permitting the canopy to extend and then to pull out the suspen- sion lines in close proximity to his body—a method responsiblefor many casualties, due to the opening shock, entanglement of suspension lines and damage to the canopy during its release.Jumpers, however, continue to wear a chest pack also, for emergency use. Also on view was a 100ft cargo parachute for dropping suchloads as a 75 mm pack howitzer, a jeep or supplies weighing up to 3,500 lb. Ousters of these 'chutes can deliver 105 mm howitzers,2i-ton trucks, bulldozers, graders, or supplies weighing up to 21,000 lb. Featured too were the experimental cardboard "cushions"which absorb the shock of loads dropped from heights up to 1,500ft without parachute. In recent tests at Fort Lee, Va., fourof these absorbers were lashed to a 1,000 lb load dropped from 1,500ft. The supplies—tinned rations—were undamaged. Asmall (15ft) stabilizing 'chute kept the load upright to ensure landing on the protected under-side. U.S.A.F.Convair XC-99. An early morning visit was rewarded by a conducted tour of this, the world's largest landplane. The "O"prefixing its serial number—352436—signifies that the airframe is already more than ten years old, though the skin wrinkles arenot attributable to this alone. The "99," I was reminded, pro- vided valuable "State-side" cargo airlift for the Korean war, flyingfrom Kelly A.F.B., San Antonio, Texas, to McClellan A.F.B., Calif., a run it maintains twice weekly to this day, operating as aunit of Headquarters Squadron 2851st Air Base Wing. By August 15th last it had 5,364i hr in its log, and had lifted well over North American F-100A Super Sabre. Martin RB-57A Canberra. Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune. Lockheed RC-12W. 46 million pounds for 961,794 miles. Fuel capacity is 21,000U.S. gallons, and 400 combat equipped troops or 300 stretcher patients, with attendants, are feasible loads. Viewed from the cockpit area the cleared top deck is like a well-lit tube tunnel. I was shown the famous electrically operated cargo hatches and hoists, the overhead rollers for handling cargo,and I peered into the engineers' compartments within the wing itself. One of the engineers told me mat these roomy spaces areuseful for replacing fuses and relays, rectifying undercarriage malfunctions, attending to "little fires," and so on. There isintercom, to the cockpit, but the engineers must be "mighty close" to each other to communicate orally between themselves. A complete crew is made up of pilot, co-pilot, navigator,engineer, assistant engineer, crew chief and right and left scanners, but a duplicate crew is normal; and, this being so, there are tworest cabins and additional bunks on the main top deck. I was shown an ingenious and (one would judge) hygienic installationdescribed as an electric toilet. This, I gathered, is a prototype model, but other comfort stations—effective, \l more primitive—are laid on at strategic points. All crewmen have parachutes. Piasecki YH-16A Transporter. With its twin Allison T38turboprops, this 32,000 lb twin-rotor helicopter has a speed of over 150 m.p.h. I was told that it had made several flights inrecent weeks. Statically parked at Philadelphia, it was among the most imposing sights of all. Capacity is 40 passengers or 32stretcher patients, and the crew numbers three. The first YH-16, originally powered with Pratt and Whitney R-2180 piston engines,is now being fitted with Allison T56s. North American F-86D. I was assured that there are more86Ds in service than all other U.S. intercepters together. A North American news release mentions I.L.S., Lear autopilot,
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