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Little known / experimental aircraft
- Thread starter Randy Daytona
- Start date
I wonder if they had to pay a license fee to Robinson for that cockpit design...
Skywalker
Student Naval Aviator
Just read a book about these guys recently. They weren't just for maritime patrol! They were actually some of the Navy's first AEW aircraft, in conjunction with some Frankenstein'd TBMs. The Navy pioneered AEW as a concept and later took that same radar off of the PB-1/TBMs and put it on the Skyraider (to be replaced by the E-1, then the E-2). The Air Force also took that same original radar and threw it on the EC-121, which was replaced by the E-3.The PB-1 and PB-1W were the Navy’s version of the B-17 during WW2 and beyond. Used for maritime patrol, they had a massive increase in fuel quantity to have an endurance of 22+ hours.
List of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress variants - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
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Stumbled across this beauty! The H-2 Tomahawk based on the UH-2 Seasprite…
The UH-2A interim attack helicopter, which the Army designated H-2 "Tomahawk", differed from the standard Navy Seasprite in several ways. The most obvious difference was in armament, for the Tomahawk was fitted with two chin-mounted turrets, each housing two 7.62mm machine guns. The turrets could be operated independently of one another, or could be 'slaved' together to engage the same target. The aircraft also carried a single door-mounted M-60 machine gun, and was fitted with short stub wings upon which could be carried up to four 7-round pods of 2.75 inch unguided rockets. Other modifications made to the H-2 included the addition of armor plating around the cockpit, engine, transmission, and fuel tanks, and the installation of Army-standard navigation and communications equipment. The Aviation Test Board ultimately judged the Tomahawk to be an extremely capable machine, and in early November 1963 the Army sought and received Congressional authorization to purchase 220 aircraft. However, five days after the 22 November assassination of John Kennedy and the subsequent assumption of the Presidency by Texan Lyndon Johnson the acquisition of the Connecticut-built H-2 was ordered abandoned in favor of further purchases of the Texas-built UH-1’s.
The UH-2A interim attack helicopter, which the Army designated H-2 "Tomahawk", differed from the standard Navy Seasprite in several ways. The most obvious difference was in armament, for the Tomahawk was fitted with two chin-mounted turrets, each housing two 7.62mm machine guns. The turrets could be operated independently of one another, or could be 'slaved' together to engage the same target. The aircraft also carried a single door-mounted M-60 machine gun, and was fitted with short stub wings upon which could be carried up to four 7-round pods of 2.75 inch unguided rockets. Other modifications made to the H-2 included the addition of armor plating around the cockpit, engine, transmission, and fuel tanks, and the installation of Army-standard navigation and communications equipment. The Aviation Test Board ultimately judged the Tomahawk to be an extremely capable machine, and in early November 1963 the Army sought and received Congressional authorization to purchase 220 aircraft. However, five days after the 22 November assassination of John Kennedy and the subsequent assumption of the Presidency by Texan Lyndon Johnson the acquisition of the Connecticut-built H-2 was ordered abandoned in favor of further purchases of the Texas-built UH-1’s.
Going through family photos and found this: a flight of 2 Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars from (I think) the 157th Fighter Squadron of the South Carolina Air National Guard, probably 1950-1951 after the transition from the F-51 Mustangs.
Awesome find. I am learning a lot about Army Av but this was never on my radar. Going to ask some of the old hats about this. Looks like it would have been more than up to tje task. Not sure about the earliest H-2s but I have heard the F model was a sports car. I suspect even an early model H-2 handled a good bit better than a Huey.
I’ve always liked the look of the underwing tanks on the P-80. Might not be effective, but it is a good look.
On this day, February 1st, in 1911 the first licensed aircraft manufacturer was established in the US - the Burgess & Curtis Aircraft Company of Marblehead MA. They produced Wright models but got into trouble later when the company added pontoons. Wright pulled the manufacturing license so B&C simply altered the design a little introducing the tractor engine aircraft. The army purchased B&C aircraft and it was from an early version that the first ever air-to-ground radio was used. Eventually Curtis left and started his engine company and in turn bought Burgess out. The factory was destroyed in 1918.
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Who the hell was Burgess, deep pocket investor? I have never heard of Burgess in early aviation.
GroundPounder
Well-Known Member
Burgess was an early pioneer in horse and buggy on demand ride share. Customers would send a telegram requesting pick up, and the nearest team would head that way. Between the popularity and widespread adoption of the Model T, and controversy over if the drivers were employees or independent contractors, he lost it all....
All kidding aside, he once took off to a watching crowd with a child in the aircraft. Earlier he had dressed a teddy bear in matching kids clothes, secreted aboard, and tossed it out as he flew over the audience! The Blue Angels wanted to replicate the stunt but the CNO said no.
I always thought the Cutlass was not the sort of plane for a high performance close form display team.
Had the opportunity to talk to a retired O-6 at base ops at NAS Dallas in the late '80's while waiting for a flight to 'Hook, who had flown the Cutlass. He had a lot of fascinating and unbelievable stories about it. Challenging, terrifying, interesting, unique, were just some of the adjectives I remember him using.