| Piasecki HUP Retriever | |
|---|---|
| País | Eua |
| Papel | Helicóptero utilitário |
| Primeiro voo | Março de 1948 |
| Construído | 339 |
O Piasecki H-25 O Army Mule / HUP Retriever era um helicóptero utilitário compacto com motor radial único e duplo sobreposto, desenvolvido pela Piasecki Helicopter Corporation de Morton, Pensilvânia, durante o final dos anos 1940 e produzido no início dos anos 1950. A empresa mudou seu nome em 1956 para Vertol Aircraft Corporation e, posteriormente, foi comprada pela Boeing Aircraft Company em 1960, tornando-se Boeing-Vertol.
| Piasecki HUP-3 (H-25A) Retriever andando por aí | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Vladimir Yakubov |
| Localização | Pima Air and Space Museum, Tuscon |
| Fotos | 27 |
| Piasecki HUP-2 Anda por aí | |
|---|---|
| Fotógrafo | Desconhecido |
| Localização | Desconhecido |
| Fotos | 32 |
Veja também:
The Compact Tandem Workhorse
O Piasecki HUP-3 Retriever (known in the Army as the H-25 Army Mule) was a compact tandem-rotor helicopter designed specifically for the tight confines of aircraft carrier decks. By placing the rotors in a tandem configuration—one at the front and one at the rear—Piasecki eliminated the need for a tail rotor, which allowed the aircraft to be shorter and more stable in crosswinds. The HUP-3 was the refined version of the series, primarily serving in search and rescue (SAR) and utility roles during the early 1950s.
| Attribute | Technical Specification (HUP-3) |
|---|---|
| Papel | Search and Rescue (SAR) / Utility Helicopter |
| Crew / Capacity | 2 Pilots / 4-5 Passengers or 3 Litters |
| First Flight (HUP series) | Março de 1948 |
| Usina | 1 × Continental R-975-46A radial engine |
| Horsepower | 550 hp (410 kW) |
| Maximum Speed | 105 mph (169 km/h) |
| Rotor Diameter | 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m) each |
| Length (Rotors turning) | 56 ft 11 in (17.35 m) |
Engineering Innovations and Tandem Flight
- Overlapping Rotors: To keep the fuselage as short as possible for carrier elevators, the front and rear rotors were designed to overlap. They were synchronized via a drive shaft to ensure the blades never collided.
- No Tail Rotor Advantage: Because the two rotors counter-rotated, they cancelled out each other’s torque. This meant all engine power went toward lift and thrust, making the HUP series very efficient for its size and exceptionally stable during hovering.
- The Rescue Hatch: The HUP-3 featured a large rectangular hatch in the floor of the cabin. A rescue hoist was mounted directly above it, allowing the crew to lift a person straight up into the center of the aircraft while in a hover.
- Canted Vertical Fins: Early models lacked the large vertical fins seen on the HUP-3. These “end plates” on the rear pylon were added to improve directional stability during high-speed forward flight.
Service History and Variants
- Carrier Plane Guard: Before the HUP, destroyers often followed carriers to pick up downed pilots. The HUP-3 allowed the helicopter to act as the “Plane Guard,” hovering near the carrier during flight ops to provide immediate rescue capability.
- Army “Mule”: The Army version, the H-25A Army Mule, featured power-boosted controls and a reinforced floor for cargo. However, the Army found the tandem design less suited for field operations than the Navy did for sea duty.
- All-Metal Blades: The HUP-3 was among the first to benefit from all-metal rotor blades, which were far more durable in the humid, salty conditions of naval service than earlier wooden or fabric-covered versions.
- Preservation: Several HUP Retrievers are preserved in museums today, including the Museu Nacional de Aviação Naval in Pensacola and the Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona.
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