XH-20 Little Henry
Role Experimental ramjet-rotor powered helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
First flight 29 August 1947
Primary user United States Air Force
Number built 2

The McDonnell XH-20 Little Henry was a 1940s American experimental lightweight helicopter designed and built by McDonnell Aircraft.[1]

Development

The McDonnell Model 38 was a lightweight experimental helicopter sponsored by the United States Army Air Force to test the concept of using small ramjets at the tips of the rotor blades.[1] As a functional helicopter it was a simple open-frame steel-tube construction.[1] Allotted the military designation XH-20 the first of two first flew on the 29 August 1947.[1]

Although the XH-20 flew successfully the ramjets were noisy and burnt a large amount of fuel and plans to build a larger two-seat XH-29 were abandoned.

Variants

Data from: U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909[2]

Model 38 XH-20 Little Henry
experimental lightweight helicopter, two built.
Model 79 XH-29 Big Henry
proposed two-seat ramjet-powered development, canceled.[3]

Operator

 United States

Aircraft on display

XH-20 at the NMUSAF

Specifications

Data from [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
  • Empty weight: 290 lb (132 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × McDonnell Ramjets
  • Main rotor diameter: 20 ft (6.1 m)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Media related to McDonnell XH-20 at Wikimedia Commons

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "XH-20 Little Henry Research Helicopter". Boeing. Archived from the original on 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2009-12-20.
  2. ↑ Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. pp. 119–121. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
  3. ↑ "McDonnell Model Numbers" (PDF). McDonnell Douglas. July 1, 1974. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
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