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History - tandem helicopters

M O D E L  HRP-1

        The concept of a flying mock-up permitted a rapid demonstration of the unique configuration and a measurement of the XHRP-X flight and control characteristics. Early design improvements in the XHRP-1 prototype resulted.

        Twenty production HRP-1's were delivered to the Navy and Coast Guard. It was nicknamed the "flying banana" because of the curve in the fuselage that provided rotor blade clearance. The HRP’s were found to be practical in many pioneering applications that today are standard military doctrine, including search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare, amphibious assault, heavy transport, and mine-sweeping.

        Twelve of the HRP-1's were assigned to the Marine Corps to help develop vertical assault tactics during operations from the flight carrier Saipan and escort carrier Palau. Navy squadrons flew the HRP-1 until 1953, primarily in the development of anti-submarine warfare
equipment and mine-sweeping experiments.


Model HRP-1

Mission    Transport, crane, tow, ASW
Crew    2
Passengers    10
Engine    P&W R-1340
hp    600
Rotor diameter    41 ft
Fuselage length    48 ft
Weight empty    5,041 lb
Useful load    1,859 lb
Max. speed    103 mph
Cruising speed    86 mph
Range    265 miles
Ceiling with normal load    10,400 ft

HRP-1 ladder (1970622 bytes)
Demonstration of ladder technique at inauguration of Idelwild Airport, August 1948

HRP-1 Mineswp (90342 bytes)
Early minesweeping tests off Panama City, Fla. 1952,  note cable being towed



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