Kaman HH-43 Huskie

The Kaman HH-43 Huskie was a rescue helicopter, which was in service with the US Air Force and Navy for more than twenty years. It had a twin, intermeshing rotor design, with each rotor turning in the opposite direction. Thus, it lacked a tail rotor. However, this design was not unique, because it was based on the German Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri, which had been developed during World War II. It had originally been designated H-43 Huskie by the Air Force, but in 1962 it was rechristened HH-43.

The Huskie had first been adopted by the US Navy in 1949, ordering 29 units. It was an observation and training helicopter, which would eventually be designated OH-43 (originally HTK-1). In 1958, it would be introduced into service with the US Air Force in two versions: the H-43A and the H-43B, to carry out rescue operations, to deal with accidents, and to put out fires. In the 1962, they changed their designation and became the HH-43A and HH-43B. Three years later, the Huskie would extensively be used in the Vietnam War to carry out rescue operations. 

The Kaman HH-43 prototype, the K-125, had performed its maiden flight in 1947, being powered by a piston radial engine. However, in 1954, Kaman Aircraft, at the behest of the US Navy, replaced the piston engine with two Boeing YT-50 gas turbine engines, using a completely different fuselage design (a box-shaped one); this prototype was designated the K-225 (HTK-1). Later, after several test flights, the US Air Force would replace them with one turboshaft engine as the power plant to propel the helicopter; an Avco Lycoming T53-L-1B, which put out 825 horsepower. This would become the HH-43B version. Meanwhile, the TH-43E was the trainer variant employed by the US Navy, being originally called the HTK-1E.

Above, the HH-43B version, painted grey and orange, with its underslung load of firefighting chemicals.

Technical Characteristics

The Kaman HH-43 Huskie was a three-seat, medium helicopter, with a box-shaped fuselage. It featured twin rotors on two shafts, revolving counterwise in an intermeshing pattern. Each rotor had two wooden blades, which were attached to the rotor head only by dragging hinges. Each rotor blade had in turn a servo flap, which made the cyclic pitch changes by twisting the blade.

The Huskie fuselage had twin tail booms joined together at their rear ends by a narrow horizontal plane, which was fitted with two pairs of large vertical fins for directional control. The helicopter had a landing gear composed of four vertical struts fitted with wheels and skis. It had a comfortable cockpit that featured a large dome-shaped Plexiglass windshield.

Specifications (H-43B)

Type: three-seat, rescue helicopter

Rotor Diameter: 14.55 m (47 feet, 9 inches)H

Length: 7.80 m (25 feet, 7 inches)

Height: 3.88 m (12 feet, 9 inches)

Weight: 2,095 kg (empty)

Power Plant: one 825-HP, Avco Lycoming T53-L-1B turboshaft engine.

Maximum Speed: 165 km/h (103 mph)

Range: 560 km (348 miles)

Service Ceiling: 7,740 m (25,394 feet) 

Above, the Kaman HH-43 in service with the US Air Force. You can see the turbine engine exhaust extending backwards between the two tail booms.

The Huskie in Vietnam, with olive-green paint.

 

Above, two views of the US Navy HTK-1 version (later TH-43), powered by the two Boeing gas turbines, which delivered 380 HP each.