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| The Piasecki H-21 Workhorse/Shawnee is an American helicopter, the fourth of a line of tandem rotor helicopters designed and built by Piasecki Helicopter (later Boeing Vertol). Commonly called the "flying banana", it was a multi-mission helicopter, utilizing wheels, skis, or floats. It was used for Arctic rescue because it performed so well at low temperatures.
Piasecki Helicopter designed and successfully sold to the US Navy a series of tandem rotor helicopters, starting with the HRP-1 of 1944. The HRP-1 was nicknamed the "flying banana" because of the upward angle of the aft fuselage that ensured the large rotors did not hit each other in flight. The name would later be applied to other Piasecki helicopters of similar design, including the H-21. In 1949, Piasecki provided the H-21 Workhorse to the USAF, which was an improved, all-metal derivative of the HRP-1. The CH-21 served with the United States Army from 1949 to 1969, and also with the U.S. Air Force (as the H-21 Workhorse), the French Navy, the Swedish Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the West German Air Force. SPECIFICATIONS: Crew: 2 Capacity: 22 troops or 2 stretchers Length: 52 ft 6 in (16.0 m) Rotor diameter: 44 ft 0 in (13.4 m) Height: 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m) Disc area: 3,041 ft² (282.7 m²) Empty weight: 8,950 lb (4,058 kg) Loaded weight: 15,200 lb (6,893 kg) Powerplant: 1× Wright R-1820-103 radial engine, 1,425 hp (1,063 kW) driving 2 rotors Performance: Maximum speed: 127 mph (110 knots, 204 km/h) Range: 265 mi (230 nm, 426 km) Service ceiling: 9,450 ft (2,880 m) Disc loading: 5 lb/ft² (24 kg/m²) Power/mass: 0.09 hp/lb (150 W/kg) Armament Varying, but usually twin or quad .50 (12.7 mm) machine guns. |
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| Bibliography: Wikipedia |