Piasecki H-16 Transporter
Piasecki Helicopter · United States · first flew 1953 · helicopter
The Piasecki H-16 Transporter (company designation PV-15) was a tandem-rotor transport or rescue helicopter designed by Frank Piasecki. The prototypes were evaluated by the US Air Force and Army.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Tandem rotors, one at each end of the fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tandem rotors, one at each end of the fuselage
- Very large cabin for 47 troops or 38 stretchers (YH-16B)
- Two turboshaft engines
A big tandem-rotor helicopter with a long fuselage and a rotor at each end.
Specifications
- The Piasecki H-16 Transporter has a length of 23.65 m (78 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 25 m (82 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 251 km/h (156 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was shown publicly for the first time on 15 September 1953 and first flew on 23 October 1953.
Variants
The XH-16/YH-16 had two Pratt & Whitney R-2180 radials and room for 43 troops. The YH-16A and YH-16B used Allison turboshafts, and a 69-passenger YH-16B was planned.
Where you'll see it
On 5 January 1956 the second YH-16 crashed, killing both test pilots, after a rotor shaft failed. This led to the cancellation of the project.
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