Hiller HJ-1 Hornet – Фото & Відео

У 201 Hiller YH-32 Hornet (company designation HJ-1) was an American ultralight helicopter built by Hiller Aircraft in the early 1950s. It was a small and unique design because it was powered by two Hiller 8RJ2B ramjet engines mounted on the rotor blade tips which weigh 13lbs each and deliver an equivalent of 45 h.p. for a total of 90 h.p. Versions of the HJ-1 Hornet were built for the United States Army and the United States Navy in the early 1950s. The Hiller Museum identifies the YH-32A, named the Sally Rand, as the first helicopter gunship.

Джерело: Hiller HJ-1 Hornet on Wikipedia

The Hiller HJ-1 Hornet was an experimental helicopter developed by Hiller Aircraft in the late 1940s. It was powered by two ramjets mounted on the rotor tips, which eliminated the need for a tail rotor and reduced the torque on the fuselage. The HJ-1 was designed to test the feasibility and performance of tip-jet propulsion for helicopters, as well as to explore low-speed aerodynamics and stability issues.
The HJ-1 made its first flight in 1948 and achieved a maximum speed of 90 mph and a ceiling of 10,000 feet. However, the tip-jet system had several drawbacks, such as high fuel consumption, noise, vibration, and limited control authority. The HJ-1 was also prone to engine failures and rotor blade erosion. The project was cancelled in 1950 after only two prototypes were built and tested. The HJ-1 Hornet was one of the earliest examples of tip-jet helicopters, which would later be used by other manufacturers such as Sud Aviation and Fairey Aviation.