Early Whirly Prangs ...

JohnB · **Posted:** Tue May 17, 2016 4:29 pm

Where us it?

Too bad their isn't one flying, since it's the helicopter equivalent of the Wright B....and the Bell 47 not far behind.

The CAF had one they were going to restore...I guess they gave up. I wouldn't mind if they flew one with a more modern drivetrain, it would be neat to see and unique.

Zac Yates · **Posted:** Tue May 17, 2016 5:25 pm

I seem to remember some mention of a "Helicopter Unit" being investigated by the CAF before Christmas, with a view to restoring and operating the R-4. That would be fantastic.

I love all the photos Mark, the Platt-LePage one is spectacular! I didn't realise it was so small. Keep 'em coming if you have them.

maxum96 · **Posted:** Tue May 17, 2016 8:09 pm

I was amazed when I first saw a rotor blade from an R-4. I never would have imagined they would have made them fabric covered.

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1601

maxum96 wrote:

I was amazed when I first saw a rotor blade from an R-4. I never would have imagined they would have made them fabric covered.

H-19 and H-34 blades aren't much different: just replace the fabric with some pretty thin aluminium.

Craig59 · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 6:42 am

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1601

Craig59 wrote:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Nice one! Memory not playing tricks then! :drink3:

JohnB · **Posted:** Wed May 18, 2016 8:02 am

I have to disagree on the matter of R-4 and H-19 blades being similar.

I've seen an uncovered R-4 blade, IIRC, it was like an uncovered wooden aircraft wing, a leading edge piece, wood spar and wood ribs...all covered in fabric. You can see how fragile they are in the crash photo above...note how all the blades are bent back at the same point after hitting something. The distortion of the fabric is also evident.

I've aslo seen an H-19 blade tip after a crash...as drawing shows, a metal spar and behind that there was a metal honeycomb material (the size of the honeycomb sections being 1 to 1.5 ", IIRC) all covered in aluminium. Very light and strong.
Their construction impressed me as being very advanced for such an early helicopter type.

L-4Pilot · **Joined:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:35 pm **Posts:** 616

JohnB wrote:

Where us it?

Too bad their isn't one flying, since it's the helicopter equivalent of the Wright B....and the Bell 47 not far behind.

The CAF had one they were going to restore...I guess they gave up. I wouldn't mind if they flew one with a more modern drivetrain, it would be neat to see and unique.

John, I took that photo inside one of the metal storage buildings at the Ft. Rucker Museum.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Really neat machine ...

1944 photo shows a Sikorsky R-4 helicopter landing on the 'Mal-de-Mar' training device at Floyd Bennett Field

Sikorsky's HNS-1 helicopter was test flown at Langley in March 1945. This example was initially ordered by the Army, and carries an Army serial number. Jack Reeder, the NACA's first helicopter pilot, is at the controls. This "Hoverfly" was also used for pilot training in rotary winged flight.

Weymouth Naval Air Station in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1946

One of Langley's Sikorsky YR-4B/HNS-1 helicopters is seen in the 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel.

One of Langley's Sikorsky YR-4B/HNS-1 helicopters is seen in the 30 x 60 Full Scale Tunnel. The technician is setting up camera equipment for stopped-action rotor-blade photos.

A Sikorsky R-4 helicopter being loaded onto a C-46, Asanol, ca March 1945.

Nice looking CG shot.

A canteen worker hands over a cup of tea to the pilot of a Sikorsky R-4 at the RAF Helicopter School Andover in 1945.

Platt-LePage · **Joined:** Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:42 pm **Posts:** 4

[quote="Mark Allen M"]

Group photograph of personnel posed beside right side of nose of Platt-LePage XR-1A Helicopter (s/n 42-6581) on the occasion of the aircraft's delivery to Wright Field, Ohio, June 20, 1944; one-quarter front right side view, close up. Seen in rear cockpit is Platt-LePage Chief Test Pilot George H. "Buck" Miller; in forward cockpit is Edward E. Denniston (Platt-Le Page Aircraft). Posed standing, left to right: Lt. Col. Cooper, Mandel Lenkowsky, Col. Hollingsworth Franklin Gregory, an unidentified Army Air Corps officer, and Dr. W. Laurence LePage

Correction:
The officer standing next to Dr. LePage is Col. H. Franklin Gregory, here is another shot with Col. Gregory shaking hands with Dr. LePage.

I have another from the delivery with Col. Gregory in the cockpit of the XR-1A.

hercules130 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 19, 2016 11:44 pm

Thanks for this great post, Platt-LePage stuff is phenomenal.

Gary

Platt-LePage · **Joined:** Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:42 pm **Posts:** 4

Col. Frank Gregory getting ready to go up around Wright Field.

Sadly the XR-1A airframe is gone. Reportedly the rotors, rotor heads, swash plates, and gear boxes, survived.
The transmission may still be stashed away too. Unfortunately the airframe was cut up in the 1950s.

The XR-1 is in very nice shape in storage at NASM, hopefully one day they will dust it off and put it on display.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2016 7:53 am

Great photos of the Platt-LePage, I've never seen closeups of it before.

tom roberts · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2016 8:47 am

Craig
Thanks for the story of your dad's mid-air Had never read it before.
Tom

Craig59 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2016 5:13 pm

tom roberts wrote:

Craig
Thanks for the story of your dad's mid-air Had never read it before.
Tom

Thank you, Tom, glad you enjoyed it. Am I fortunate to be here or what?

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