McDonnell XH-20 Little Henry

XH-20 Little Henry
Role Experimental ramjet-rotor powered helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
First flight 29 August 1947
Primary user United States Air Force
Number built 2

The McDonnell XH-20 Little Henry was a 1940s American experimental lightweight helicopter designed and built by McDonnell Aircraft.[1]

Development

The McDonnell Model 38 was a lightweight experimental helicopter sponsored by the United States Army Air Force to test the concept of using small ramjets at the tips of the rotor blades.[1] As a functional helicopter it was of simple open-frame steel-tube construction.[1] Allocated the military designation XH-20 the first of two first flew on the 20 August 1947.[1]

Although the XH-20 flew successfully the ramjets were noisy and burnt a large amount of fuel and plans to build a larger two-seat XH-29 were abandoned.

Variants

XH-20
McDonnell Model 38 experimental lightweight helicopter, two built.[2]
XH-29
McDonnell Model 79 a proposed two-seat development, cancelled.[3]

Operator

 United States

Aircraft on display

Specifications

Data from [1]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related lists

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e "XH-20 Little Henry Research Helicopter". Boeing. http://www.boeing.com/history/mdc/littlehenry.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-20. 
  2. ^ Andrade 1979, p. 119
  3. ^ Andrade 1979, p. 121
Bibliography
  • Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN ISBN 0-904597-22-9. 
McDonnell and McDonnell Douglas military aircraft and spacecraft
Fighters
USAAF/US Air Force

XP-67 · XF-85 · XF-88 · F-101 · F-110 · F-4 · F-15 · F-15E · YF-23
US Navy/USMC

FH · F2H · F3H · F-4 · F/A-18 · F/A-18E/F
Export
Licensed
Attack
US Navy/USMC

A-4M · AV-8B · A-12
Trainers
US Navy
Transports
US Air Force

Model 119 · C-9 · KC-10 · YC-15 · C-17
US Navy

C-9
Licensed
Helicopters
US Army/US Air Force

XH-20 · AH-64
US Navy

XHJH · XHCH · XHRH
Export
Drones (UAVs)
US Navy

KDH
Experimental
US Army/US Air Force
Spacecraft
NASA
US Air Force
USAAC/USAAF/USAF/Joint Service Helicopter designations 1941–
Numerical sequence used by USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941–Present; US Army 1948–1956 and 1962–present; US Navy 1962–present
Main sequence
Prefix R-, 1941–1948
Prefix H-, 1948–1962
H- with a mission prefix 1962–present

R-1 • R-2 • R-3 • R-4 • R-5/H-5 • R-6/H-6 • R-7 • R-8 • R-9/H-9 • R-10/H-10 • R-11/H-11 • R-12/H-12 • R-13/H-13/OH-13/UH-13J • R-14 • R-15/H-15 • R-16/H-16 • H-17 • H-18 • H-19/UH-19 • H-20 • H-21/CH-21 • H-22 • H-23/OH-23 • H-24 • H-25/UH-25 • XH-26 • H-27 • H-28 • H-29 • H-30 • H-31 • H-32 • H-33 • H-34/CH-34 • H-35 • (H-36 not assigned) • H-37/CH-37 • (H-38 not assigned) • XH-39 • H-40 • H-41 • H-42 • H-43/HH-43 • (H-44 and H-45 not assigned) • CH-46/HH-46 • CH-47 • UH-48 • H-49 • QH-50 • XH-51 • HH-52 • CH-53/HH-53/MH-53 • CH-54 • TH-55 • AH-56 • TH-57 • OH-58 • XH-59 • UH-60/SH-60/HH-60 • YUH-61 • XCH-62 • YAH-63 • AH-64 • HH-65 • RAH-66 • TH-67 • MH-68 • (H-69 not assigned) • ARH-70 • VH-71 • UH-72
1962 redesignations
reusing old numbers

AH-1/UH-1 • SH-2/SH-2G • SH-3/CH-3/HH-3 • OH-4 • OH-5 • OH-6/MH-6/AH-6
Lists relating to aviation
General
Military
Accidents/incidents
Records