American Military Helicopters And Vertical Short Landing And Takeoff Aircraft Since 1941

Over the past eight decades, developments in vertical lift aircraft--both helicopters and vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) planes--have given the American military unparalleled capabilities on the modern battlefield. The U.S. has led the world in vertical lift technologies with the help of some of the brightest minds in this field--Igor I. Sikorsky, Arthur M. Young, Frank N. Piasecki, Charles H. Kaman and Stanley Hiller, Jr., to name a few--and by having the industrial prowess to make their concepts reality. This book provides a concise historical survey, including technical specifications, drawings, and photographs of every type of helicopter and V/STOL aircraft developed for the U.S. military, from the earliest examples tested in 1941 and 1942, up to the newest prototypes.

Over the past eight decades, developments in vertical lift aircraft--both helicopters and vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) planes--have given the American military unparalleled capabilities on the modern battlefield. The U.S. has led the world in vertical lift technologies with the help of some of the brightest minds in this field--Igor I. Sikorsky, Arthur M. Young, Frank N. Piasecki, Charles H. Kaman and Stanley Hiller, Jr., to name a few--and by having the industrial prowess to make their concepts reality. This book provides a concise historical survey, including technical specifications, drawings, and photographs of every type of helicopter and V/STOL aircraft developed for the U.S. military, from the earliest examples tested in 1941 and 1942, up to the newest prototypes.

Aviation This comprehensive, easy-to-use guide tells the fascinating story of one of the greatest technical triumphs of our times—the story of flight. Produced in association with the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution, Aviation is lavishly illustrated with materials from the collection of the National Air and Space Museum. This Smithsonian Guide features: Detailed text by a Smithsonian expert clearly explaining how world aviation developed More than 350 full-color photographs and explanatory illustrations of airplanes, equipment, people, and events Full-color foldout timeline of aviation milestones decade by decade 40-page quick-access A-to-Z glossary, including capsule biographies, special terms, and key concepts Smithsonian Guides is an illustrated home reference series exploring the worlds of science, nature, technology, and history, produced in unique partnership with the world's most popular museum. Each superbly produced guide stands alone as a compact introduction to its subject. Taken together, Smithsonian Guides form a library on topics timeless in their appeal. Other titles: Spaceflight • Planets • Zoo Animals • Automobiles • Railroads

This study is an assessment of whether the US Air Force (USAF) should anticipate modernizing its core theater airlift fleet with aircraft designed for super-short takeoffs or landings under rough-field conditions (SSTOL-RF) or aircraft designs focused on vertical takeoffs or landings (VTOL) with secondary SSTOL-RF capabilities (V/SSTOL-RF). Several considerations speak to the timeliness of this issue. Most importantly, the ongoing evolution of USAF and Army (USA) war-fighting concepts increase their demand for mobility and sustainment support in quantities and places that the aircraft in the present airlift fleet cannot provide. Also, the present mainstay of the theater airlift fleet, the C-130, has been an inadequate platform for vital missions for decades. It is too small to link effectively and efficiently with large intertheater airlifters, such as the C-5, C-17, and civil reserve air fleet (CRAF) jumbo cargo aircraft at intermediate staging bases. Also, the C-130's runway requirements limit its ability to connect to battlefield airlift helicopters or deliver forces and sustainment at forward-most points of need and effect (PON/E) themselves. Intratheater airlift, consequently, is the weak link in the USAF's ability to provide a smooth flow of air and land combat forces and their sustainment in the early stages of conflicts and crises. Finally, although the USAF has not published a formal plan for theater airlift modernization, most officials interviewed for this study suggested sometime in the 2040s as the window for the next aircraft to appear. Given the experience of the C-17 program, which took 19 years to move from development contract to the first squadron reaching initial operational capability, a program aimed at putting a squadron of future theater airlifters on line by the middle 2040s should begin sometime in the early 2020s. As a contribution to conceptualizing the best path to a modern theater airlift fleet, then, this study will assess the SSTOL-RF and V/SSTOLRF design approaches in terms of their ability to fulfill critical USA and USAF requirements and their operational risk profiles.

Examines four alternatives for modernizing the Army's helicopters and compares the costs and benefits of each alternative with the Army's plan for its helicopter fleet. Alternatives include: retain a smaller Comanche program, buy improved Kiowa warriors, and extend the life of the Hueys; continue to buy helicopters currently in production; buy improved Kiowa Warriors and new utility helicopters; and retain and modernize helicopters in the Army's inventory. Appendix includes the Aviation Force Structure. 50 charts and tables.

Beskriver den militære helikopters udvikling og betydning for moderne krigsførelse.