History of the Vertol Aircraft Corporation, 1956 to 1960

Abstract

With an overall company lifespan of only four years, Vertol Aircraft Corporation continued the tandem-rotor helicopter legacy of its predecessor, Piasecki Helicopter Corp., as well as research, development and testing of other V/STOL aircraft and technologies while concurrently designing two medium-lift transport helicopters that are still in worldwide use and/or production today. During this short timeframe, the company finalized production and deliveries of the H-21C Shawnee/V-44 for the US Army and international customers. The company designed and flew the world’s first tilt-wing VTOL, the NACA/Army/Navy/Vertol VZ-2A. Application of T53 and T58 turbine powerplants led to twin-turbine engine trials and flight tests with experimental H-21 variants. With Vertol’s in-theater customer support, the French Army and Navy introduced the H-21 into combat in Algeria which included the early use of armed, troop-carrying helicopters. The design, test and successful US and worldwide demonstrations of the privately-funded Vertol 107 led to development and certification of the 107-II airliner version and follow-on military transports as the Boeing H-46 Sea Knight. The contract to design and build the YHC-1B was won by Vertol in 1959 and led to the enduring Boeing H-47 Chinook.