Hiller OH-23 Raven

OH-23 Raven
Hiller OH-23
Role Multipurpose light helicopter
Manufacturer Hiller Aircraft Corporation
Introduction 1948
Status Retired
Primary user United States Army, Colombian Air Force

The Hiller OH-23 Raven was a three-place, light observation helicopter based on the Hiller Model 360. The Model 360 was designated by the company as the UH-12 ("UH" for United Helicopters),[1] which was first flown in 1948. The OH-23 trainer was jokingly nicknamed the "Hiller Killer" by US Army Aviation student pilots who had to fly it.[2]

Development

Hiller UH-12A in 1955 when used as a crop spraying demonstrator in England

In 1947, United Helicopters (later renamed Hiller Aircraft) developed the prototype Model 360X helicopter. A year later, on 14 October 1948 the CAA issued a production certificate for the Model 360. United Helicopters began producing the Model 360 as the UH-12 (UH-12 in French, UH-12 in German). In 1949, the UH-12 became the first helicopter to make a transcontinental flight from California to New York. When Hiller upgraded the engine and the rotor blades, the company designated the new model as the UH-12A. It was the UH-12A that would be adopted by both the French and United States militaries, as well as being used by civil commercial operators in several countries.

Operational history

The H-23 Raven performed as a utility, observation, and MedEvac helicopter during the Korean War. Model numbers ranged A through D, F and G. The H-23A had a sloping front windshield. The H-23B was used as a primary helicopter trainer. Beginning with the UH-23C, all later models featured the "Goldfish bowl" canopy similar to the Bell 47.

The Raven used Hiller's "Rotor-Matic" cyclic control system, with two small servo rotor paddles offset 90 degrees to the main rotor blades. The paddles were attached to the control column, so that movement of the column would cause the pitch of the servo paddles to change, loading the main rotor blade so that the desired cyclic changes to the rotor occurred.[3] The OH-23 had a top speed of 97 mph (84 knots). The Raven had a two-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor. Both the OH-23B and the OH-23C were powered by one Franklin O-335-5D engine.

Royal Navy Hiller HTMk1 (HTE-2) of 705 Squadron in 1953

The OH-23D was a purely military version with a 0-435-23C engine and a more reliable transmission. Most OH-23Ds were replaced by the OH-23G, the most common version of the Raven, with a more powerful Lycoming O-540-9A six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled 305 hp engine. The OH-23G could seat three. The MEDEVAC version carried two external skid-mounted litters or pods. The Raven saw service as a scout during the early part of the Vietnam War before being replaced by the OH-6A Cayuse in early 1968. A Raven piloted by Hugh Thompson, Jr. played a crucial role in curtailing the My Lai Massacre. The Raven could be armed with twin M37C .30-caliber machine guns on the XM1 armament subsystem or twin M60C 7.62 mm machine guns on the M2 armament subsystem. The XM76 sighting system was used for sighting the guns.

The Royal Navy's No. 705 Training Squadron used Hiller HTE-2s for several years from 1953 and later operated Hiller 12E's for many further years as its basic helicopter trainer based at RNAS Culdrose located in Cornwall, England.

Variants

Early OH-23

Military

YH-23
One Model UH-12A, modified with two-seat cabin and 178 hp Franklin engine for US Army evaluation.[4]
H-23A
Initial production version with 178 hp (133 kW) Franklin O-335-4 piston engine and two-seat cockpit, 100 built for the US Army[5] and 5 for evaluation by the US Air Force.[6]
H-23B
H-23A with skid/wheel undercarriage and 200 hp (149 kW) O-335-6 engine (some later re-engined with a 250 hp VO-435-23B), re-designated OH-23B in 1962, 273 built for the US Army[5] and 81 for military export.
H-23C
Model UH-12C with three-seat cabin, one-piece canopy and metal rotor blades, 145 built for the US Army. Re-designated OH-23C in 1962.[5]
H-23D
H-23C with new rotor, transmission and 250 hp (187 kW) Lycoming VO-435-23B engine, 348 built for US Army. Re-designated OH-23D in 1962.[5]
H-23E
Model UH-12E, not bought
H-23F
Model UH-12E-4, four-seat model with 25-inch cabin extension and a 305 hp VO-540-A1B engine, redesignated OH-23F in 1962, 22 built for US Army.[5]
H-23G
Three-seat dual control version of H-23F, redesignated OH-23G in 1962, 793 built.[5]
HTE-1
US Navy version of the Model UH-12A with Franklin O-335 engine, two-seater with dual controls, and wheeled tricycle undercarriage, 17 built.[7]
HTE-2
US Navy version of H-23B with Franklin O-335-6 engine, 35 built.[7][8]
Hiller HT Mk 1
Royal Navy designation for 20 former US Navy HTE-2s.[9]
Hiller HT Mk 2
UH-12Es for Royal Navy. 21 supplied.[9]
CH-112 Nomad
Canadian military designation.

Civilian

UH-12A
Original production model for the US Army, powered by a six cylinder fan-cooled Franklin 6V4-178-B33 engine with a maximal power of 178hp at 3000 rpm. The main rotor blades (produced by the Parsons Industries Inc.) are of solid wood laminations. The body of the blade is in fact essentially made up of numerous strip and block wooden laminations designed to provide a strong but highly flexible blade. The entire blade surface is covered with fiberglas cloth with the leading edge covered with an additional stainless steel sheet. The tail rotor is of all metal construction.
UH-12B (HTE-2)
Training version for the US Navy. US Navy designation HTE-2 prior to 1962.
UH-12C
Three-seat version, equipped with wood rotor blades and one-piece 'goldfish bowl' canopy.

US Army designation H-23C.

UH-12D
Improved version of the H-23C for the US Army. US Army designation H-23D.
UH-12E
Three-seat dual-control version of the H-23D.
UH-12ET
Turbine-powered version of the UH-12E, fitted with an Allison 250 turboshaft engine.
UH-12E-3
New three-seat production version.
UH-12E-3T
New turbine-powered production version.
Hiller UH-12E4, four seater
UH-12-E4
Four-seat civilian version. US Army designation H-23F. VO-540 powered. Conversion kit available for E-12 models.[10]
UH-12E-4T
Four-seat turbine-powered production version.
UH-12L-4
Lengthened version with wider cabin windows.

Operators

 Argentina
 Canada
 Chile
 Colombia
 Dominican Republic
 France
 Guatemala
 Indonesia
 Israel
Israeli Air Force OH-23, Jerusalem 1952
 Mexico
 Netherlands
 Paraguay
 Peru
 South Korea
 Thailand
 United Kingdom
 United States
 Uruguay

Specifications (H-23D)

Data from United States Military Aircraft since 1909[28]

General characteristics

Performance

A UK registered civil UH-12 was seen attacking James Bond in the 1963 film From Russia with Love. A UH-12E4 (A UK registered civil aircraft with faux U.S. Army markings) was used in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger. One was also seen in the 1967 Bond film You Only Live Twice.

The 1978 film Attack of the Killer Tomatoes contains footage of a real helicopter crash. A Hiller Aircraft UH-12E, U.S. civil registry N81959, suffered a tail-rotor strike during a scene where the helicopter was supposed to have landed in a tomato patch behind police officers. The aircraft spun out of control, rolled over, and burst into flames. The helicopter pilot escaped without serious injury.[30]

The type has also been seen in numerous other films.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

  1. ↑ Donald, David. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1998.
  2. ↑ Fort Wolters Tour: The Aircraft
  3. ↑ Bridgman 1953, pp. 240–241.
  4. ↑ Harding 1990, p.141.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Harding 1990, p.142.
  6. ↑ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p.274.
  7. 1 2 Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.440.
  8. ↑ "Hiller HTE-2 'Raven'". Aero-web.org. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  9. 1 2 Thetford 1978, p.400.
  10. ↑ A.C. Bass (November 1960). "E-4 "Station Wagon"". Flying Magazine.
  11. ↑ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 40". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Policia de la Provincia de Buenos Aires UH-12E". Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "CH-112 Nomad". canadianwings.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  14. 1 2 "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 50". bell47.net. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  15. ↑ "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 51". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 52". bell47.net. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  17. ↑ "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 53". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  18. ↑ "Koninklijke Luchtmacht UH-12E". Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  19. ↑ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 77". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  20. ↑ "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 54". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  21. ↑ "US →South Korea (1966-1967)". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  22. ↑ "South Korean Army OH-23". Demand media. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  23. 1 2 "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 55". bell47.net. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  24. ↑ "Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm UH-12B HTE-2". Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  25. ↑ "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 59". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  26. 1 2 "The H-23 Raven Helicopter". bell47.net. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  27. ↑ "World Air Forces 1975 pg. 314". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  28. ↑ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p.276.
  29. 1 2 Harding 1990, p.143.
  30. ↑ "Movie Crash from Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, July 11th, 1978". Retrieved 2010-04-11.
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