• Intermeshing rotor • Firefighter • Rescue
Developed in the 1950s, the
box-shaped HH-43 Huskie provided the US Air Force with a helicopter that was able to put out fires and porform rescues. In its role as a local airbase firefighter, the Huskie was very effective. Built with the twin-meshing rotors that are the signature of inventor and entrepreneur Charles Kaman, the Huskie ended its career in the Vietnam War.
▼ Huskie rescue
When flying aircrew roscue sorties in Vietnam, the Huskie was painted in camouflage. Due to the Н-43’s limited range, it was generally used only over South Vietnam, although its small si/c allowed it to operate in small jungle clearings.
◄ Delta delivery
Huskies were used over the Mekong Delta area of South Vietnam, operating in a supped role tor the US Navy’s mshorr PBR (Patrol Boat. River) force.
A Box body
The advantage of the Kaman rotor system is that the helicopter does not require a tail rotor, so it can be designtc with a capacious intenor.
FACTS AND FIGURES
>• Ex-US Huskies have served with tbo air forces of Burma, Colombia. Morocco, Pakistan and Thailand.
>• The Huskio established seven world records using its T53-1 engine.
► The first flight of the prototype in this series took place on 13 December 1958.
► The USAF received 263 Huskies (18 H-43AS. 203 НН-43ВЗ and
42 HH-43Fs) between 1958 and 1968.
► Tho rescuo hoist of tho Huskie has a capacity of 272 kg for lifting personnel.
► A few civilian Huskies remain in use undertaking logging operations.
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Left: The Huskie crow often Лаг/ fo operate under dangerous and terrifying conditions. This burning C-97 was part of a training scss/ол, but the H-43 tackled many other fires for real.
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carried two para-jumpers (known as l»|s>. who wen* trained in Medical tn-atiiK-m and rescue work. As the t Vs role in Vietnam grew, the Huskie s M> of local a іri vase rescue was expanilcd and a number Hew missions Ix-hind enemy lino.
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Right: One of the Н-43’s many unusual features was the exhaust boom that protected over the tail to keep ttu) roar door area safe.
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Unueuf’y. me Husnte hoo wooden man lotor taadee These were Bttnctieii to me тих iiead cok try
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Each rotor Wadrt has a servo-tap wtveh такі» the cydc pitch chanryoo by twatog the btodo
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The H 43 woa powered try a T53 turtooohutt ongme. Witen one. of the ftra* Кошт К 225e ‘
litovotoped from itw H-43) was fitted Wv’li <i fVx-vsj VT 50 cnyvw. il beenmo the world’s l*« gns-tuti«v>powrotHl tmtixyitfr –
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Тіні I « 43 had Iwn rotors on drttsertl Bivtllfi, wttti |ho rotor» t*»nmg m an Irsormesfiing pattern
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—…
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H 1
US
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Sun** to tt« Karttcv 1 , twin-rotor designs, mo ‘ H-43 had large, wide ten at the rear for orcctKmal centred.
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on unuausi ixxIorcamtHjo и struts Mtnd wth wnrwte ■ torwaч1 Xtrutn went longer ones, gvmg tt-e, н-43 а ••ranee on the ground.
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F«i aw, or cargo could to uuoeo tnrougn the vwoe fwtn ciamsnet doers The mam fueT suopV ot 756 Wrea (20C catonsl ot kerosene wws stored under п» cabo flocr
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SH-26 it ASFRtlf 1814 k« (4.000 Ib. l
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Huskie
Missions
J|AVAL SUPPORT:
,jyW in
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FIREFIGHTER:
For tackling fires the Husk» was fined with an underslung container of tirefighting
chemicals <<Г
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JUNGLE RESCUE: Confined to me southern half of the country, the H-43 camod out numerous rescues at the scene of crasbod aircraft in Vietnam
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ТІ» Kamov Ka-25 it hampered Dy its lack ot range and the more tecene Seatpntxi i»s twee the range ot the himum machine Т»и H-43 в oenrurt, ahort on nmoe. bU In its gnen nXe «hi* was not at mportunt noxwrtthwuna. subrlty wxl Its lifting aoaty were mere mportar* » toe a»
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Kaman
