Kaman Aircraft

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Kaman Aircraft was founded in 1945 by Charles Kaman. During the first ten years the company operated exclusively as a designer and manufacturer of several helicopters that set world records and achieved many aviation firsts.

Since 1956 Kaman began to diversify as an aerospace subcontrator of McDonnell Douglas, Grumman and others. In the mid-1960's Kaman diversified outside of the aerospace industry: with the expertise Kaman had gained in composite materials and the end of the need for skilled woodworkers to craft wooden rotor blades, the stage was set for a new venture. Charles Kaman, a guitarist as well as an aerospace pioneer, worked with his engineers and other musicians to create the round-backed, composite-body Ovation guitar, which revolutionized the guitar industry and led to the eventual creation of Kaman Music. Kaman Music is the largest independent distributor of musical instruments and accessories in the United States and a major producer of guitars and guitar parts and accessories.

Under Charles Kaman, Kaman Corporation had a no-layoff policy, something almost unheard in the world of rapidly changing fortunes dependent on defense and aerospace contracts.

[edit] Kaman timeline

December 1945: With $2,000 and his invention of the servo-flap controlled rotor, 26-year-old Charles Kaman founded the company.
January 15, 1947: K-125 - Kaman's first helicopter; Kaman selected an intermeshed contrarotating twin rotor design first developed in Germany by Anton Flettner. Flettner's Kolibri was successfully operated aboard German ships during World War II.
July, 1949: K-225 - An improved version of the K-125; the U.S. Navy bought two and the Coast Guard one for $25,000 each. Later, they will receive the H-22 designation.
December 1951: A modified K-225 equipped with a Boeing 502 engine becomes the world's first gas turbine powered helicopter, ushering in the turbine age for helicopters. This aircraft is now at the Smithsonian
1953: Kaman produced the first electrically powered drone
April 1953: Ordered for the U.S. Marine Corps, the HOK-1 first flies; Air Force version was the H-43A Huskie
1954: K-16 A V/STOL designed around a rotoprop
March 1954: A modified Kaman HTK-1 becomes the world's first twin-turbine powered helicopter
September, 1956: HH-43 Huskie - A variant of the OH-43, equipped with a Lycoming T-53 gas turbine engine

HH-43B

Rotor diameter: 14.33 m each

Length: 7.62 m

Height: 4.74 m

Weight: 2000 kg - Max: 4150

Engine: 1 Avco Lycoming T53-L-1B of 825 hp

Speed: Max: 190 km/h

Range: 450 km

Service Ceiling: 7600 m

July 1957: QH-43 - Another modified HTK-1 becomes the world's first remotely piloted vehicle
1958: K-17 - A cold-tipped jet powered helicopter

K-17

Rotor diameter: 11.3 m

Weight: 430 kg - Max: 900

Engine: 1 Turbomeca Turmo of 600 hp

Speed: Max: 120 km/h

Endurance: 2 hours

Service Ceiling: 1500 m

July 2, 1959: HU2K-1; later known as UH-2A SeaSprite
March 1960: Kaman develops and flies the first all composite main rotor blade.
October 1961: The H-43 Huskie sets an altitude record of 10.000 m and numerous rate of climb records.

During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Huskie flew more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined - with the best safety record of any U.S. military aircraft.
1962: UH-2A / B production begins
January 1964: First flight of Kaman's experimental Convertiplane equipped with a J-85 engine and wings from a Beechcraft Queen Air. The aircraft achieves speeds of over 320 km/h
1965: Tomahawk; A Sea Sprite derivate with stub wings and a pair of twin guns side-by-side under the nose.; Kaman's proposal for the US Army 's interim gunship helicopter between the AAFSS ( AH-56 ) and AAH ( AH-64 ) competitions. Lost against the Bell 209 AH-1 HueyCobra
1967: SeaSprites are modified into twin turbine helicopters
1969: US Navy begins LAMPS ( Light Airborne Multipurpose System) development to obtain a on board helicopter for escort ships
1971: SAVER - The Stowable Aircrew Vehicle Escape Rotoseat is the first jet powered autogyro with telescoping rotor blades
May 1973: SH-2F Seasprite - The LAMPS I enters US Navy service

SH-2F

Rotor diameter: 13.41 m

Length: 16.03 m

Height: 4.72 m

Weight: 3200 kg - Max: 6100

Engine: 2 x GE T58-GE-8F of 1350 hp each

Speed: Max: 240 km/h

Range: 660 km

July 1976: Kaman designs and begins manufacturing the K-747 blade, the world's first production all-composite rotor blade for the Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter. Total production exceeds 4,000 blades.
January 1991: Magic Lantern, a new laser-based mine countermeasures system, is deployed in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. It is highly successful in locating mines.
February 1993: SH-2G Seasprite - The new version of the SeaSprite, with new avionics, mission electronics and GE T-700 engines, enters US Navy service
August 1994: K-1200 K-MAX - a purpose-built helicopter with intermeshing rotors specializing in external load operations.
November 1998: The Egyptian Air Force accepts delivery of its 10th SH-2G Super Seasprite for use in anti-submarine warfare missions, completing the order and becoming the first international customer to operate the aircraft.
August 1999: New Zealand approves purchase of SH-2G(NZ)
January 2000: Australian SH-2G(A) begins initial flight testing
January 2001: U.S. Government purchases 5 K-MAX for Peru
October 2002: The 5 Peruvian K-MAX were transferred to the Colombian Army where they are still in service