Piasecki H-21 "Shawnee":
The H-21 was a 1950s-early 1960s era workhorse. Word I've heard is that they sucked in Vietnam, as the helo wasn't designed for hot-weather environments. It was replaced by the UH-1 and and CH-47; nobody looked back.
The one shown here is the last flyable example of the type. I haven't researched it, but it could be the only flying Piasecki helicopter left.
ETA: There are threee PV-18s, the earlier iteration of the helicopter, on the FAA's registry. There are several H-21s. That just means they exist and the FAA has them registered, not that they can fly.
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7 comments:
LOL ~ Banana Boat! I've never actually seen one fly, and that's not exactly VTL.
Tandem rotors are none-the-less the best ...
Sure glad I missed aviating flying banana style over there. Piston power flying high and hot in the Central Highlands. No, thanks. Made me nervous enough in a huey, those steep ear popping descents overhead the strip. My artillery radar unit got transported once by shit-hook. Like levitating your house powered by noise.
Ah yes, the flying banana... Interesting takeoff 'roll' too!
Back in the late 70's early 80's there was a company called HI-LIFT that operated out of small airport (Y78) Rainbow field, in Franklin WI (just southwest of Milwaukee). they had 3 H-21's. 1 flying 2 for parts. I watched one put air-conditioning units on a Department store roof not far from my house. Rainbow closed in the mid 90's. Not sure what ever happened to Hi lift.
That just looks bizarre. And puts to lie the old joke about "why don't you ever see vintage helicopter flyins".
One vintage helicopter is hardly a fly-in. :)
Best data is one flying and one, in Washington state, undergoing a restoration that might result in a flying unit. Several in storage that could, with enough time, money and effort be restored. Dozens on display that will never operate again. Wasn’t aware they were initially designed for Arctic operations, an interesting note.
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