Piasecki HRP-1 Rescuer
Piasecki Helicopter Corporation · USA · first flew 1945 · helicopter
The Piasecki HRP-1 Rescuer was the US Navy's first tandem-rotor transport helicopter, famous for its distinctive curved fuselage that earned it the nickname 'Flying Banana.' It demonstrated the tandem-rotor concept's potential for large-payload naval helicopters.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fabric-covered fuselage with pronounced upward curve |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tandem-rotor 'Flying Banana' helicopter
- Fabric-covered fuselage with pronounced upward curve
- Early large naval transport helicopter
The pronounced upward curve of the fuselage is unmistakable — no other production helicopter has this 'banana' profile; the tandem overlapping rotors with no tail rotor are equally distinctive.
Specifications
- The Piasecki HRP-1 Rescuer has a length of 17.8 m (58 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.8 m (42 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 165 km/h (103 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Frank Piasecki's PV-3 prototype first flew in 1945 and led to the HRP-1 production aircraft for the Navy and Coast Guard. The type could carry up to ten passengers and proved the viability of the tandem-rotor layout for heavy-lift naval operations, directly influencing all subsequent Piasecki and Boeing Vertol designs.
Variants
The HRP-2 followed with an all-metal fuselage replacing the fabric-covered structure of the HRP-1. Both variants served with the US Navy and Coast Guard.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the US Navy and Coast Guard in the late 1940s and early 1950s for utility transport and search and rescue; it inspired the later HUP Retriever and H-21 series.
Related aircraft
- Piasecki HRP Rescuer
- Piasecki PV-2
- Piasecki HUP Retriever
- Piasecki XHJP-1 Retriever
- Bell 47
- Bell H-13 Sioux
- Kellett XR-8
- Doblhoff WNF 342
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