Piasecki PV-2
Piasecki Helicopter Corporation · United States · first flew 1943 · helicopter
The Piasecki PV-2 was the first helicopter designed by Frank Piasecki, and became the second helicopter to achieve free flight in the United States when it flew in April 1943.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Tubular steel-frame open fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat experimental helicopter — second American helicopter to fly
- Single main rotor with small anti-torque tail rotor
- Tubular steel-frame open fuselage
A very small, open-frame single-seat helicopter with a single main rotor and tail rotor, broadly contemporary with the Sikorsky R-4 but lighter and more rudimentary in construction.
Specifications
- The Piasecki PV-2 has a length of 6.55 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 161 km/h (100 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Built by the PV Engineering Forum (Piasecki's early firm), the PV-2 demonstrated Piasecki's ability to develop practical rotary-wing aircraft and directly led to US Navy funding for the larger HRP Rescuer tandem-rotor designs.
Variants
Only one prototype was constructed; it served solely as a technology demonstrator.
Where you'll see it
Used exclusively for company and NACA flight testing; no military or civilian operational service.
Related aircraft
- Piasecki HRP Rescuer
- Piasecki HRP-1 Rescuer
- Piasecki HUP Retriever
- Piasecki XHJP-1 Retriever
- Doblhoff WNF 342
- Sikorsky R-6
- Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly
- Kellett XR-8
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