Brantly B-2

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Brantly B-2
Type light helicopter
Manufacturer Brantly Helicopter Corporation
Designed by N.P. Brantly
Maiden flight 1953
Introduced 1958

The Brantly B-2 is an American two-seat light helicopter produced by the Brantly Helicopter Corporation.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

After the failure of his first design, the Brantly B-1, N.P. Brantly decided to design a simpler and less complicated helicopter for the private buyer. The Brantly B-2 had a single main rotor and an anti-torque tail rotor and first flew on 21 February 1953. This was followed by an improved second prototype that first flew on 14 August 1956. The B-2A was introduced with a modified cabin, and the B-2B had a larger 180hp fuel-injected engine. The B-2B has a three-blade main rotor and an all-metal fuselage, it can be operated with skid, wheel or float landing gear. Unusually, to save room, the engine is fitted vertically in the fuselage behind the cabin.

[edit] Operational history

The basic design remained in production for over 30 years. The United States Army evaluated the B-2 (designated the YHO-3) in 1958, although it was not ordered. An improved larger version with five seats was designated the Brantly 305.

[edit] Variants

  • Brantly B-2 - Two-seat single-engined light utility helicopter.
    • Brantly YHO-3 - United States military designation for the B2.
  • Brantly B-2A - Initial production version.
  • Brantly B-2B - Improved version, fitted with new metal rotor blades, and an uprated fuel-injected 180hp Lycoming piston engine.
  • Brantly 305 - Larger five-seat version.
  • H-2 - Designation of the B-2B built by Brantly-Hynes between 1976 qnd 1979.

[edit] Operators

[edit] Military Operators

[edit] Civilian Operators

Brantly B2 serial # 194 Designation N2143U was purchased in 1962 and flown by Dean Svec for all of its total of 2,108 hrs. It was retired in 2006 and is now on permanent public display at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum - Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio.

[edit] Specifications (B-2B with skid landing gear)

General characteristics

  • Length: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
  • Disc area: 442 ft² (41.06 m²)
  • Empty weight: 1,020 lb (463 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,670 lb (757 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1× Avco Lycoming IVO-360-A1A flat-four piston, 180 hp (134 kw)

Performance


[edit] References

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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