The Piasecki H-21 Workhorse/Shawnee is an American helicopter, the fourth of a line of
tandem rotor
Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction.
The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...
helicopters designed and built by
Piasecki Helicopter
Piasecki Helicopter Corporation was a designer and manufacturer of helicopters located in Philadelphia and nearby Morton, Pennsylvania, in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Its founder, Frank Piasecki, was ousted from the company in 1956 and starte ...
(later
Boeing Vertol
Boeing Rotorcraft Systems (formerly Boeing Helicopters and before that Boeing Vertol) is the former name of an American aircraft manufacturer, now known as Vertical Lift division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
The headquarters and main r ...
). Commonly called "the flying banana", it was a multi-mission helicopter, using wheels, skis and floats.
The H-21 was originally developed by Piasecki as an Arctic rescue helicopter. The H-21 had cold-weather features permitting operation at temperatures as low as and could be routinely maintained in severe cold weather environments.
Design and development
![Piasecki H-21 - Cockpit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Piasecki_H-21_-_Cockpit.jpg)
Piasecki Helicopter designed and successfully sold to the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
a series of tandem rotor helicopters, starting with the
HRP-1 of 1944. The HRP-1 was nicknamed the "flying banana" because of the upward angle of the aft fuselage, which ensured that the large rotors could not strike the fuselage in any flight attitude. The name was later applied to other Piasecki helicopters of similar design, including the H-21.
In 1949, Piasecki proposed the YH-21 ''Workhorse'' to the United States Air Force (USAF), which was an improved, all-metal derivative of the HRP-1. Using two tandem, fully articulated three-bladed counter-rotating rotors, the H-21 was powered by one nine-cylinder
Curtis-Wright R-1820-103 Cyclone supercharged
air-cooled
Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over heat dissipation fins or hot areas of the engine to cool them in order to keep the engine within operating temperatures. In all combustion engines, a great percentage of the heat ge ...
radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ca ...
.
After the first flight of the YH-21 on 11 April 1952, the USAF ordered 32 H-21A SAR models and 163 of the more powerful H-21B assault transport variant.
[Bridgman 1952, p. 30.] The H-21B was equipped with an uprated version of the Wright 103 engine, developing 1,425
shaft horsepower
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are the ...
(1,063 kW) and featured rotor blades extended by 6 inches (152 mm). With its improved capabilities, the H-21B could carry 22 fully equipped infantrymen or 12 stretchers, plus space for two medical attendants, as a
medevac
Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...
helicopter. With its Arctic winter capabilities, the H-21A and H-21B were put into service by the USAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to maintain and service
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the north coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska (see Proj ...
(DEW)) radar installations stretching from the
Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
and
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
across the
Canadian Arctic
Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories and N ...
to
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
and
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
.
![Piasecki H-21 - inside](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Piasecki_H-21_-_inside.jpg)
In 1952, some H-21As were evaluated by USMC helicopter squadron
HMX-1
Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the president and vice president of the United States, heads of state, Department of Defense officials, and other VIPs ...
for air assault. In 1957, an H-21B was loaned to the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to evaluate the helicopter as an airborne tug to tow disabled landing ships and amphibious landing vehicles to the beach. During the evaluation, the H-21B towed an LST at and a simulated tracked amphibious vehicle from the water to the beach. The uprated 1425 hp Wright engine used in the H-21B was also used in subsequent variants sold to both the U.S. Army (as the H-21C ''Shawnee'') and the military forces of several other nations. In 1962, the H-21 was renamed the CH-21 in U.S. Army service.
In 1959 Vertol Aircraft, the new name for Piasecki Helicopters, came up with a concept for heavy lift over short distances where between two and six H-21Bs would be linked by beams to lift heavy loads. It was considered to be unsafe, because if one helicopter had mechanical problems during the lift it could unbalance the structure and cause all helicopters to crash.
Operational history
French service in the Algerian War
![Color shawnee over rice paddies](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Color_shawnee_over_rice_paddies.jpg)
In 1956, seeking a way to use helicopters for ground-attack in the
Algerian War
The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...
, the French Air Force and French Army Aviation (
''Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre'') experimented with arming the
Sikorsky S-55
The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (company model number S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwind in the United Kingdom. ...
, then being superseded in service by the more capable Piasecki H-21 and
Sikorsky H-34
The Sikorsky H-34 "Choctaw" (company designation S-58) is an American Reciprocating engine, piston-engined military helicopter originally designed by Sikorsky Aircraft, Sikorsky as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States ...
helicopters. Some French Air Force and Army aviation H-21C helicopters were subsequently armed with fixed, forward-firing rockets and machine guns. A few even had racks for bombs but tests found that the H-21C lacked the maneuverability and performance needed for ground-attack. The H-21C was far more successful as a troop transport, and most H-21Cs in service were eventually fitted with flexible door-mounted guns such as the .50 cal. (12.7 mm)
M2 Browning machine gun
The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, w ...
or the (ex-
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
)
MG 151/20
The MG 151 (MG 151/15) was a German 15 mm aircraft-mounted autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser during World War II. Its 20mm variant, the 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, was widely used on German Luftwaffe fighters, night fighters, figh ...
20 mm aircraft autocannon, for defensive use when landing assault forces under fire.
[France, Operations Research Group, ''Report of the Operations Research Mission on H-21 Helicopter'' (1959)][Riley, David, ''French Helicopter Operations in Algeria'', Marine Corps Gazette, February 1958, pp. 21-26][Shrader, Charles R. ''The First Helicopter War: Logistics and Mobility in Algeria, 1954-1962'' Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers (1999)]
Though the H-21 had been removed from ground-attack, official U.S. Army evaluations at the time indicated that the type was actually more likely to survive hits by ground fire than was the Sikorsky CH-34; this was assumed to be a consequence of the location and construction of the CH-34's fuel tanks. By the close of the Algerian War, troop-carrying H-21C helicopters were being used in concert with H-34 ground-attack helicopters in large counterinsurgency operations.
U.S. Army operations
The H-21C saw extensive service with the U.S. Army, primarily for use in transporting troops and supplies. On 24 August 1954, with the assistance of inflight refueling provided by a U.S. Army
U-1A Otter, a H-21C known as ''Amblin' Annie'' became the first helicopter to cross the United States non-stop. Experiments were made by the Army in arming the H-21C as a gunship; some Shawnees were armed with flex guns under the nose, while others were fitted with door guns. One experimental version was tested with a
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
.50 cal. remote turret mounted beneath the nose. The H-21C (later designated CH-21C) was first deployed to
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
in December 1961 with the Army's 8th and 57th Transportation Companies, in support of
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April ...
troops. In Army service, the CH-21C Shawnee could be armed with 7.62 mm (.308 in) or 12.7 mm (.50 in) flexible door guns. Relatively slow, the CH-21's unprotected control cables and fuel lines proved vulnerable to the
North Vietnamese Army
The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed win ...
and
Vietcong
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
ground forces, which were increasingly well supplied with automatic small arms and heavy (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft machine guns. The H-21, which was designed for cold weather operations, performed poorly in the hot weather of Vietnam. Despite being capable of carrying 20 passengers, it could lift only nine when operating in Vietnam. Pilots reported that engines that were rated for 600 hours of flying time were lasting only 200 hours or less in Vietnam. The shooting down of a CH-21 Shawnee near the Laotian-Vietnamese border with the death of four aviators in July 1962 were some of the U.S. Army's earliest casualties in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.
[Harding 1990, pp. 261–262.] Despite these events, the Shawnee continued in service as the U.S. Army's helicopter workhorse in Vietnam until 1964 when it was replaced with the
Bell UH-1 Huey
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helico ...
. In 1965, the
Boeing CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Ch ...
was deployed to Vietnam and later that year, most CH-21 helicopters were withdrawn from active inventory in the U.S. Army and Air Force.
Variants
;XH-21
:USAF designation of the first H-21 prototype.
;YH-21 Work Horse
:USAF Search And Rescue (SAR) version of the HRP-2 for service test, eighteen built
;H-21A Work Horse (Model 42)
:Same as YH-21 with detailed changes and powered by one 1250hp
Wright R-1820
The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 is an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright, widely used on aircraft in the 1930s through 1950s. It was produced under license in France as the Hispano-Suiza 9V or Hispano-Wright 9V, and in the Soviet Uni ...
-102, re-designated CH-21A in 1962, 32 built for USAF, 6 for the Royal Canadian Air Force
;H-21B Work Horse (Model 42)
:Same as H-21A but with uprated Wright engine (1425hp) and seats for 20 troops, autopilot as standard and limited armour protection and external fuel tanks, became CH-21B in 1962, 163 built for U.S. forces. 10 built for
Japanese Self-Defense Force
The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...
s; 10 H-21B built for the
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
.
;SH-21B Work Horse
:Rescue conversion of the H-21B, became HH-21B in 1962.
;H-21C Shawnee (Model 43)
:US Army version of the H-21B, became CH-21C in 1962, 334 built for U.S. forces. 32 built under license by Weser Flugzeugbau for the West German Army. 98 built for the
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
and
French Army Aviation (ALAT).
;XH-21D Shawnee (Model 71).
:Two H-21Cs re-engined with two
General Electric T58
The General Electric T58 is an American turboshaft engine developed for helicopter use. First run in 1955, it remained in production until 1984, by which time some 6,300 units had been built. On July 1, 1959, it became the first turbine engine t ...
turboshaft engines in place of the Wright R-1820. Not placed into production.
;CH-21A
:H-21A redesignated in 1962.
;CH-21B
:H-21B redesignated in 1962.
;CH-21C
:H-21C redesignated in 1962.
;HH-21B
:SH-21B redesignated in 1962.
;Model 42A
:Conversion by Vertol Aircraft (Canada) of eight Royal Canadian Air Force H-21s for civilian use. Equipped to carry 19 passengers or 2,820lb (1,279kg) of internal cargo or a 5,000lb (2,268kg) slung load.
;Model 44A
:Commercial 19-passenger transport version of the H-21B. 11 total (Swedish military designation: Hkp 1), 2 for the
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
, 9 for the
Swedish Navy
The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps ().
In Swedish, vessels o ...
. 2 used for test/evaluation purposes by Japan Self-Defense Forces.
;Model 44B
:Commercial 15-passenger/freighter version of the H-21B.
;Model 44C
:Commercial eight-passenger executive version of the H-21B.
;CH-127
:Vertol Canada Model 44
;Piasecki HkP1
:Piasecki model 44 for the Swedish Navy
Operators
Military operators
;
*
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
;
*
Congo Democratic Air Force
;
*
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
*
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
![Piasecki H-21 - left](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Piasecki_H-21_-_left.jpg)
*
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
;
*
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfa ...
*
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...
;
*
Swedish Navy
The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps ().
In Swedish, vessels o ...
;
*
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
*
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
![USAF H-21 manual](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/USAF_H-21_manual.jpg)
;
*
German Army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
Civil operators
;
*
New York Airways
New York Airways was a helicopter airline in the New York City area, founded in 1949 as a mail and cargo carrier. On 9 July 1953 it may have been the first scheduled helicopter airline to carry passengers in the United States, with headquarters ...
Aircraft on display
Canada
* 642 – On display at the
Musée de la Défense aérienne of
CFB Bagotville
Canadian Forces Base Bagotville , commonly referred to as CFB Bagotville, and also known as Bagotville Airport or Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, is a Canadian Forces base located west of Bagotville in the city of Saguenay. Located in the centre ...
,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
* 641 – On display at the Heritage Air Park of the
Comox Air Force Museum
The Comox Air Force Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits artifacts relating to CFB Comox, its squadrons and its units.A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums –Operations and Administration 2002-04-03 The museum is located at th ...
CFB Comox
Canadian Forces Base Comox , commonly referred to as CFB Comox or 19 Wing, is a Canadian Forces Base located north northeast of Comox, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
France
![Vertol CH-21B Workhorse USAF](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Vertol_CH-21B_Workhorse_USAF.jpg)
* FR94 – H-21C on static display at the Musée de l'Aviation Légere de l'Armée de Terre et de l'Hélicoptère in
Dax, Landes
Dax (; oc, Dacs; eu, Akize) is a Communes of France, commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France, Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Landes (department), Landes Departments of France, department.
It is known as a spa destina ...
.
* FR106 is on display at the "Ailes Anciennes" Museum at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.
Germany
* 83+07 – H-21C on static display at the
Hubschraubermuseum Bückeburg
The Hubschraubermuseum Bückeburg (Bückeburg Helicopter Museum) is located in the German town of Bückeburg, 30 miles (50 km) to the west of Hanover. The museum is the sole museum in Germany specialising in rotary-wing flight and one of few ...
in
Bückeburg, Lower Saxony.
* 83+08 – H-21C on static display at the
Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow
The Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr – Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow (''Bundeswehr Museum of Military History – Berlin-Gatow Airfield''; formally known as ''Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr''), is the Berlin branch of the Bundeswehr Military ...
in
Berlin, Berlin
''Berlin, Berlin'' is a television series produced for the ARD. It aired in Germany from 2002 to 2005 Tuesdays through Fridays at 18:50 on the German public TV network Das Erste. The show won both national and international awards.
A sequel f ...
.
* 83+11 – H-21C on static display at the
Flugausstellung Hermeskeil
The Flugausstellung Peter Junior, previously the Flugausstellung Hermeskeil, is a private aviation museum in the town of Hermeskeil in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
The museum opened in July 1973 in several buildings with a covered a ...
in
Hermeskeil, Rhineland-Palatinate.
* 83+17 – XH-21D on static display at the
Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim
The Technik Museum Sinsheim is a technology museum in Sinsheim, Germany. Opened in 1981, it is run by a registered association called "Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim e. V." which also runs the nearby Technik Museum Speyer.
Statistics
, the museum ...
in
Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg.
Japan
* JG-0001 – Model 44A on static display at the
Bihoro Aviation Park
is an outdoor aviation museum located in Bihoro in Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan.
Aircraft displayed
* ''JG-0505'' Beechcraft T-34 Mentor (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)
* ''52-0076'' North American T-6 Texan (Japan Air Self-Defense Force)
* '' ...
in
Bihoro, Hokkaido
is a town located in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The name is derived from the Ainu word ''piporo'', meaning "place of much water".
Largely agricultural, the town is best known for the Bihoro Pass, which has views over Lake Kussh ...
.
* JG-0002 – Model 44A on static display at the
Tokorozawa Aviation Museum
The is a museum located in the city of Tokorozawa, Saitama dedicated to the history of aviation in Japan. It contains aircraft and other displays (many of which are interactive) and an IMAX theatre. Located on the site of Japan's first airfield w ...
in
Tokorozawa, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 344,194 in 163,675 households and a population density of 4800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Tokorozawa is located in the ce ...
.
* 02-4756 – H-21B on static display at the JASDF Air Park in
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was .
Overview
H ...
.
Russia
* N74056 – Model 44A on static display at
Central Air Force Museum
The Central Air Force Museum (russian: Центральный музей Военно-воздушных сил РФ) is an aviation museum in Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia. A branch of the Central Armed Forces Museum, it is one of the world's la ...
in
Monino, Moscow.
Sweden
* 01001 - HKP 1 on static display at the
Swedish Air Force Museum
The Swedish Air Force Museum ( sv, Flygvapenmuseum) is located at Malmen Airbase in Malmslätt, just outside Linköping, Sweden. Malmen is where Baron Carl Cederström, nicknamed the "Flyer Baron" founded his flying school in 1912. Malmen Airba ...
in
Linköping, Östergötland.
* 01009 - HKP 1 on static display at the Gotland Museum of Defence in
Tingstäde
Tingstäde is a populated area, a socken (not to be confused with parish), on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Tingstäde District, established on 1January 2016.
Tingstäde is most noted for its nearb ...
,
Gotland
Gotland (, ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a province, county, municipality, and diocese. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the ...
.
United States
;Airworthy
* 54-4001 – CH-21B airworthy at the
Classic Rotors Museum
Classic Rotors is a flying aviation museum specializing in helicopters and other rotorcraft, located at the Ramona Airport in Ramona, California, United States.
History
The museum was founded in 1992 by Mark DiCiero, after he built and learned t ...
in
Ramona, California
Ramona is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California. The population was 20,292 at the 2010 census.
The name ''Ramona'' also refers to an unincorporated community (with some plans to incorporate) that includes both the ...
. This is the last H-21 still flown.
;Static Display
![JGSDF V-44A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/JGSDF_V-44A.JPG)
* 51-15857 – CH-21B on static display at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
at
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wri ...
in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...
. It was obtained from
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County.
The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). The ...
in January 1965.
* 51-15859 – CH-21B on static display at
Battleship Memorial Park
Battleship Memorial Park is a military history park and museum on the western shore of Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama. It has a collection of notable aircraft and museum ships including the and . USS ''Alabama'' and USS ''Drum'' are both Nationa ...
in
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
.
* 51-15886 – CH-21C on static display at the
Aerospace Museum of California
The Aerospace Museum of California is a private non-profit aviation museum located in North Highlands, California, outside of Sacramento, California, on the grounds of the former McClellan Air Force Base. The museum has a 4.5-acre outdoor Air Park ...
at
McClellan Airport (former
McClellan AFB
McClellan Air Force Base (1935–2001) is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California.
History
For the vast majority of its operational lifetime, McClella ...
) in
McClellan, California
Sacramento McClellan Airport is a privately owned public-use airport located six miles (10 km) northeast of the central business district of Sacramento (a city in Sacramento County, California, United States).
The airport is on the for ...
.
* 51-15892 – CH-21B on static display at the
Quonset Air Museum
The Quonset Air Museum was an aerospace museum located in Quonset Point Business Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
The museum's collection included: missiles, aircraft and over 5000 smaller aviation artifacts. An extensive archive of magaz ...
at the former
Naval Air Station Quonset Point
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...
in
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and is part of the Providence metropolitan area. The population was 27,732 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. North Kingstow ...
.
* 52-8676 – CH-21B on static display at the
Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum
The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum is a museum focusing on aircraft and nuclear missiles of the United States Air Force during the Cold War. It is located near Ashland, Nebraska, along Interstate 80 southwest of Omaha. The objective o ...
near
Offutt AFB
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base south of Omaha, adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), the 557th Weather Wing, and the 55th Wing (55 WG) of the Air C ...
in
Ashland, Nebraska
Ashland is a city in Saunders County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,453 at the 2010 census.
History
Ashland is located at the site of a low-water limestone ledge along the bottom of Salt Creek, an otherwise mud-bottomed stream ...
.
* 52-8685 – CH-21B on static display at the
Museum of Aviation at
Robins AFB
Robins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force installation located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The base is located just east of the city of Warner Robins, south-southeast of Macon and approximately south-southeast ...
near
Warner Robins, Georgia
Warner Robins (typically ) is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located in Houston and Peach counties in the central part of the state. It is currently Georgia's eleventh-largest incorporated city, with an estimated population of 80,308 in th ...
.
* 52-8688 – CH-21B on static display at the
Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center
The Travis Air Force Base Aviation Museum (former names include Travis Air Museum, Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum, and Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center) is an aviation museum located at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. The ...
near
Fairfield, California
Fairfield is a city in and the county seat of Solano County, California, in the North Bay sub-region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately fro ...
.
* 52-8691/52-8706 – CH-21B on static display at
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy ...
in
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
. This airframe is a composite of two different airframes and is painted as 53-4343.
* 52-8696 – CH-21B on static display at
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
near
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...
.
* 53-4323 – HH-21B on static display at Berryman War Memorial Park in
Bridgeport, Washington
Bridgeport is a city in Douglas County, Washington. It is part of the Wenatchee− East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bridgeport's population was 2,409 at the 2010 census. Bridgeport is located near the Chief Joseph Dam.
History
Th ...
.
* 53-4324 – CH-21B on static display at the
Vintage Flying Museum
The Vintage Flying Museum is a non-profit aviation museum located at Meacham International Airport, Fort Worth, Texas. The primary mission of the museum is to preserve America's flying heritage in word, deed and action.
History
In October 2010, t ...
in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
. This airframe was previously on display at the Pate Museum of Transportation in
Cresson, Texas.
* 53-4326 – CH-21B on static display at the
March Field Air Museum
The March Field Air Museum is an aviation museum near Moreno Valley and Riverside, California, adjacent to March Air Reserve Base.
History
The museum was founded in 1979 as March Air Force Base Museum. One of the first exhibits at the museum was ...
at
March Air Reserve Base
March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...
(former
March AFB
March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB) is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's Fo ...
) in
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
.
* 53-4347 – CH-21B on static display at the
Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum in
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo () is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, Pueblo County, Colorado ...
.
* 53-4354 – CH-21C on static display at the
Arkansas Air & Military Museum in
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville () is the second-largest city in Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, and the biggest city in Northwest Arkansas. The city is on the outskirts of the Boston Mountains, deep within the Ozarks. Known as Washington until ...
.
* 53-4362 – SH-21B on static display at the Alaska Museum of Transportation and Industry in
Wasilla, Alaska
Wasilla ( Dena'ina: ''Benteh'') is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, United States and the fourth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the st ...
.
* 53-4366 – CH-21B on static display at the
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum in the Seattle metropolitan area. It is located at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) in the city of Tukwila, immediately south of Seattle.< ...
in
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
.
* 53-4367 – CH-21B on static display at the
Mid-Atlantic Air Museum
The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM) is an aviation museum and aircraft restoration facility located at Reading Regional Airport in Reading, Pennsylvania. The museum, founded by Russ Strine, the current President, collects and actively restores ...
,
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading ( ; Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Reddin'') is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 as of the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philade ...
.
* 53-4369 – CH-21B on static display at the
United States Army Aviation Museum
The United States Army Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located on Fort Rucker near Daleville, Alabama. It has the largest collection of helicopters held by a museum in the world.Phillips 1992, p. 37.Purner 2004, p. 204. The museum features ...
near
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located primarily in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training installation for U.S. Army Aviators and ...
in
Daleville, Alabama
Daleville is a city in Dale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 5,295, up from 4,653 in 2000. It is part of the Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city's nickname is "Gateway to Fort Rucker", as this U.S ...
.
* 53-4389 – CH-21B on static display at the
Pima Air & Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m²) on a campus occ ...
adjacent to
Davis-Monthan AFB in
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
.
* 54-4404 – CH-21B on static display at the
Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...
.
* 55-4140 – CH-21C on static display at the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center in West Chester, Pennsylvania. This airframe was previously on display at the
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The ''Intrepid'' Sea, Air & Space Museum is an American military and maritime history museum in New York City with a collection of museum ships. It is located at Pier 86 at 46th Street, along the Hudson River, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhoo ...
in
New York, New York
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...
.
* 55-4218 – CH-21C on static display at the
Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is an aviation museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Its exhibits include the Hughes H-4 Hercules (''Spruce Goose'') and more than fifty military and civilian aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and spac ...
in
McMinnville, Oregon
McMinnville is the county seat of and largest city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The city is named after McMinnville, Tennessee. As of the 2019 census, the city had a population estimate of 34,743.
McMinnville is at the confluence of ...
. This airframe was previously on display at the
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (WOTR) is located on the former Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado, United States. The museum preserves the history of Lowry AFB's operations from 1938 to 1994 in its collections, archives, and ...
at the former
Lowry AFB
Lowry Air Force Base (Lowry Field in 1938–1948) is a former United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) training base during World War II and a United States Air Force (USAF) training base during the Cold War, serving as the initial 1955–1958 si ...
in
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. It is painted as 53-4379.
* 56-2040 – CH-21C on static display at the United States Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, near Daleville, Alabama.
* 56-2077 – CH-21C on static display at the
U.S. Army Transportation Museum ay
Fort Eustis
Fort Eustis is a United States Army installation in Newport News, Virginia. In 2010, it was combined with nearby Langley Air Force Base to form Joint Base Langley–Eustis.
The post is the home to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Co ...
near
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...
.
![Musée défense aérienne - Vertol H-21B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Mus%C3%A9e_d%C3%A9fense_a%C3%A9rienne_-_Vertol_H-21B.jpg)
* 56-2142 – CH-21C on static display at the
Hill Aerospace Museum
Hill Aerospace Museum is a military aviation museum located at Hill Air Force Base in Roy, Utah. It is dedicated to the history of the base and aviation in Utah.
History
Preparations for a museum began in 1984, when ground was broken on an "Ae ...
at
Hill AFB
Hill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force (USAF) base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and bordering the Cities of Layton, Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, and Sunset with its largest border immediately adjacent to ...
near
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau, making it Utah's eighth ...
. This airframe is painted as 54-4002.
* 56-2159 – CH-21C on static display at the
Pima Air & Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m²) on a campus occ ...
adjacent to
Davis-Monthan AFB in
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
.
;Stored or under restoration
* 52-8623 – CH-21B in storage at the
Air Force Flight Test Museum
The Air Force Flight Test Museum is an aviation museum located at Edwards Air Force Base near Rosamond, California focused on the history of the Air Force Flight Test Center.
History
The Flight Test Museum Foundation was founded in 1983 by Caro ...
at
Edwards AFB
Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is Ed ...
in
Edwards, California
Edwards (formerly, Muroc and Wherry Housing) is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California.
It is located east-southeast of Mojave, about northeast of Lancaster, east of Rosamond, and south of California City at an elevation o ...
.
* 52-8683 – H-21B in storage with
Basler Turbo Conversions in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh.
History
Oshkosh was ...
.
* 53-4329 – CH-21B under restoration at the
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum in the Seattle metropolitan area. It is located at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) in the city of Tukwila, immediately south of Seattle.< ...
Restoration Center at
Paine Field
Paine Field , also known as Snohomish County Airport, is a commercial and general aviation airport serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in unincorporated Snohomish County, Washington, between the ...
in
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat and largest city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett is the seventh-largest city in the ...
.
* 54-4003 – CH-21B in storage at the
American Helicopter Museum & Education Center in
West Chester, Pennsylvania
West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,461 at the 2010 census. West Chester is the mailing address for most of its neighb ...
. This airframe was previously on display at the
Florence Air & Missile Museum
The Florence Air & Missile Museum was an aviation museum previously located at the entrance to the Florence Regional Airport, in Florence, South Carolina. The museum closed at the end of 1997.
The airport was originally known as Florence Army Ai ...
in
Florence, South Carolina
Florence is a city in and the county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States. It lies at the intersection of Interstates 20 and 95 and is the eastern terminus of the former. It is the primary city within the Florence metropolit ...
.
* c/n 438 – Model 44B in storage in unrestored condition at the
Gillespie Field Annex of the
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM, formerly the San Diego Aerospace Museum) is an aviation and space exploration museum in San Diego, California, United States. The museum is located in Balboa Park and is housed in the former Ford Building, ...
in
El Cajon, California
El Cajon ( , ; Spanish: El Cajón, meaning "the box") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajón, which was in turn named for the box-like shape of the va ...
.
Specifications (CH-21C)
See also
References
* Arkell, Basil
"Helicopters in Contrast: (2) Flying the American Vertol 44" ''Flight'', Vol. 71, No. 2526. pp. 844–846.
* Bridgman, Leonard. ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1952–53''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., 1952.
* Duke, R.A., ''Helicopter Operations in Algeria''
rans. French Dept. of the Army (1959).
* Harding, Stephen. ''U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947''. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 1990. .
* Swanborough, F. G. and
Bowers, Peter M. ''United States Military Aircraft since 1909''. London: Putnam, 1963.
"The World's Air Forces" ''
Flight
Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...
'', Vol. 67, No. 2416, 13 May 1955. pp. 615–668.
"World Helicopter Market" ''Flight'', Vol. 94, No. 3096, 11 July 1968. pp. 48–60.
* United States Air Force Museum (1975 edition)
External links
{{Authority control
H-021
1950s United States military transport aircraft
1950s United States helicopters
Tandem rotor helicopters
Single-engined piston helicopters
Piasecki H-21 Shawnee Workhorse
Aircraft first flown in 1952
Historic American Engineering Record in Texas