Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe – Φώτο &; Βίντεο

Teh Σικόρσκι CH-54 Ταρέ είναι ένα δικινητήριο ελικόπτερο βαρέως τύπου σχεδιασμένο από την Sikorsky Aircraft για τον αμερικανικό στρατό. Πήρε το όνομά του από τον Tarhe (του οποίου το ψευδώνυμο ήταν "Ο Γερανός"), έναν αρχηγό της ινδικής φυλής Wyandot του 18ου αιώνα. Η αστική εκδοχή είναι το S-64 Skycrane.

The Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe was a twin-engine heavy-lift helicopter that served in the United States Army from the 1960s to the 1990s. It was designed by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation as a civilian version of their S-64 Skycrane, which was a flying crane helicopter capable of carrying large payloads externally. The CH-54 Tarhe was named after an 18th-century chief of the Wyandot Indian tribe, whose nickname was “The Crane”. The CH-54 Tarhe had a distinctive appearance, with a long and slender fuselage, a six-blade main rotor, and a rear-facing cockpit for the pilot and co-pilot. The helicopter could kneel its landing gear to facilitate loading and unloading of cargo, which could include vehicles, containers, boats, aircraft, or even bombs.
The CH-54 Tarhe was powered by two Pratt & Whitney turboshaft engines, which gave it a maximum speed of 202 km/h and a range of 370 km. The helicopter also had an automatic flight control system, which allowed the crew to control the pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft with precision. The CH-54 Tarhe was used extensively during the Vietnam War, where it performed various missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, fire fighting, and mine clearing. The helicopter also participated in other operations such as the Iranian hostage rescue attempt in 1980 and the recovery of the space shuttle Challenger debris in 1986. The CH-54 Tarhe was retired from service in 1993, but some of them were sold to civilian operators such as Erickson Air-Crane, who continue to use them for heavy-lift operations around the world.