- Hiller OH-23 Raven
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"OH 23" redirects here. OH 23 may also refer to Ohio's 23rd congressional district.
OH-23 Raven 
Hiller OH-23 Role Multipurpose light helicopter Manufacturer Hiller Aircraft Corporation Introduction 1948 Primary user United States Army The Hiller OH-23 Raven was a three-place, light observation helicopter based on the Hiller Model 360. The Model 360 was designated by the company as the UH-12 ("UH" for United Helicopters),[1] which was first flown in 1948.
Contents
Development
Hiller UH-12A in 1955 when used as a crop spraying demonstrator in England
Stanley Hiller designed his first helicopter at the age of 15, and built and flew his first helicopter, the Hiller XH-44, when he was aged 19. With the help of shipping mogul Henry Kaiser, Hiller established the United Helicopters company in 1946. In 1947, United Helicopters developed the Model 360X, the prototype that would become the basis for the H-23. A year later, on 14 October 1948 the CAA issued a production certificate for the Model 360.
United Helicopters began producing the Model 360 as the UH-12. In 1949, the UH-12 became the first helicopter to make a transcontinental flight from California to New York. When Hiller upgraded the engine and the rotor blades, the company designated the new model the UH-12A. It was the UH-12A that would be adopted by both the French and United States militaries, as well as being used by civil commercial operators in several countries.
Operational history
The H-23 Raven performed as a utility, observation, and MedEvac helicopter during the Korean war. Model numbers ranged A through D, F and G. The H-23A had a sloping front windshield. The H-23B was used as a primary helicopter trainer. Beginning with the UH-23C, all later models featured the "Goldfish bowl" canopy similar to the Bell 47, it also featured a unique cyclic control system, through two paddles offset 90 degrees to the main rotor blades.[verification needed] The OH-23 had a top speed of 97 mph (84 knots). The Raven had a two-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor. Both the OH-23B and the OH-23C were powered by one Franklin O-335-5D engine.
The OH-23D was a purely military version with a 0-435-23C engine and a more reliable transmission. Most OH-23Ds were replaced by the OH-23G, the most common version of the Raven, with a more powerful Lycoming O-540-9A six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air cooled 305 hp engine. The OH-23G could seat three. The MEDEVAC version carried two external skid-mounted litters or pods. The Raven saw service as a scout during the early part of the Vietnam war before being replaced by the OH-6A Cayuse in early 1968. The Raven could be armed with twin M37C .30 Cal. machine guns on the XM1 armament subsystem or twin M60C 7.62 mm machine guns on the M2 armament subsystem. The XM76 sighting system was used for sighting the guns.
The Royal Navy used Hiller 12E's for many years as its basic helicopter trainer - at 705 Sqn based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, England.
Variants
Early OH-23Military
- YH-23
- One Model UH-12A, modified with two-seat cabin and 178 hp Franklin engine for US Army evaluation.[2]
- H-23A
- Initial production version with 178 hp (133 kW) Franklin O-335-4 piston engine and two-seat cockpit, 100 built for the US Army[3] and 5 for evaluation by the US Air Force.[4]
- H-23B
- H-23A with skid/wheel undercarriage and 200 hp (149 kW) O-335-6 engine (some later re-engined with a 250 hp VO-435-23B), re-designated OH-23B in 1962, 273 built for the US Army[3] and 81 for military export.
- H-23C
- Model UH-12C with three-seat cabin, one-piece canopy and metal rotor blades, 145 built for the US Army. Re-designated OH-23C in 1962.[3]
- H-23D
- H-23C with new rotor, transmission and 250 hp (187 kW) Lycoming VO-435-23B engine, 348 built for US Army. Re-designated OH-23D in 1962.[3]
- H-23E
- Model UH-12E, not bought
- H-23F
- Model UH-12E-4, four-seat model with 25-inch cabin extension and a 305hp VO-540-A1B engine, redesignated OH-23F in 1962, 22 built for US Army.[3]
- H-23G
- Three-seat dual control version of H-23F, redesignated OH-23G in 1962, 793 built.[3]
- HTE-1
- US Navy version of the Model UH-12A with Franklin O-335 engine, two-seater with dual controls, and wheeled tricycle undercarriage, 17 built.[5]
- HTE-2
- US Navy version of H-23B with Franklin O-335-6 engine, 35 built.[5][6]
- Hiller HT Mk 1
- Royal Navy designation for 20 former US Navy HTE-2s.[7]
- Hiller HT Mk 2
- UH-12Es for Royal Navy. 21 supplied.[7]
- CH-112 Nomad
- Canadian military designation.
Civilian
- UH-12A
- Original production model for the US Army, powered by a 178 hp Franklin O-335-4 piston engine. US Army designation H-23A.
Hiller UH-12B- UH-12B
- Training version for the US Navy. US Navy designation HTE-1.
- UH-12C
- Three-seat version, equipped with all-metal rotor blades and one-piece 'goldfish bowl' canopy.
US Army designation H-23C.
- UH-12D
- Improved version of the H-23C for the US Army. US Army designation H-23D.
- UH-12E
- Three-seat dual-control version of the H-23D.
- UH-12ET
- Turbine-powered version of the UH-12E, fitted with an Allison 250 turboshaft engine.
- UH-12E3
- New three-seat production version.
- UH-12E3T
- New turbine-powered production version.
- UH-12E4
- Four-seat civilian version. US Army designation H-23F.
- UH-12E4T
- Four-seat turbine-powered production version.
- UH-12L-4
- Lengthened version with wider cabin windows.
Operators
Military operators
- Biafran Air Force
- Canadian Army - CH-112 Nomad
Israeli Air Force OH-23, Jerusalem 1952- Israeli Air Force - Two helicopters only.
- Netherlands Air Force
- Paraguayan Air Force
- Paraguayan Naval Aviation
Civilian operators
- Columbia Helicopters
- Evergreen Aviation
- Philippine Airlines (from a former fleet)
Specifications (H-23D)
Data from United States Military Aircraft since 1909[8]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 27 ft 9½ in (8.47 m)
- Rotor diameter: 35 ft 5 in[9] (10.80 m)
- Height: 9 ft 9½ in (2.99 m)
- Disc area: 985 sq ft (91.5 m²)
- Empty weight: 1,816 lb (825 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 2,700 lb (1,227 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming VO-435-23B[9] 6 cylinder piston engine, 250 hp (187 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 95 mph (153 km/h, 83 knots) at sea level
- Cruise speed: 82 mph (132 km/h, 71 knots)
- Range: 197 mi (317 km, 171 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 13,200 ft (4,025 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,050 ft/min (5.3 m/s)
Popular culture
A UK registered civil UH-12 was seen attacking James Bond in the 1963 film From Russia with Love . A UH-12E4 (A UK registered civil aircraft with faux U.S. Army markings) was used in the 1964 Bond film Goldfinger. One was also seen in the 1967 Bond film You Only Live Twice.
The 1978 film Attack of the Killer Tomatoes contains footage of a real helicopter crash. A Hiller Aircraft UH-12E, U.S. civil registry N81959, suffered a tail-rotor strike during a scene where the helicopter was supposed to have landed in a tomato patch behind police officers. The aircraft spun out of control, rolled over, and burst into flames. The helicopter pilot escaped without serious injury.[10]
The type has also been seen in numerous other films.
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Bell 47
- Schweizer (Hughes) 300
- Related lists
References
- ^ Donald, David. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1998.
- ^ Harding 1990, p.141.
- ^ a b c d e f Harding 1990, p.142.
- ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p.274.
- ^ "Hiller HTE-2 'Raven'". Aero-web.org. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p.276.
- ^ a b Harding 1990, p.143.
- ^ "Movie Crash from Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, July 11th, 1978". http://www.check-six.com/lib/Movie_Crash2.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
- Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.
- Swanborough, F.G. and Bowers, Peter M. United States Military Aircraft since 1909. London:Putnam, 1963.
- Swanborough, Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. London:Putnam, Second edition, 1976. ISBN 0 370 10054 9.
- Thetford, Owen. British Naval Aircraft since 1912. London:Putnam, Fourth edition, 1978. ISBN 0 370 30021 1.
- OH-23 Factsheet
External links
USAAC/USAAF/USAF/Joint Service Helicopter designations 1941– Numerical sequence used by USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941–Present; US Army 1948–1956 and 1962–present; US Navy 1962–presentMain sequence
Prefix R-, 1941–1948
Prefix H-, 1948–1962
H- with a mission prefix 1962–presentR-1 • R-2 • R-3 • R-4 • R-5/H-5 • R-6/H-6 • R-7 • R-8 • R-9/H-9 • R-10/H-10 • R-11/H-11 • R-12/H-12 • R-13/H-13/OH-13/UH-13J • R-14 • R-15/H-15 • R-16/H-16 • H-17 • H-18 • H-19/UH-19 • H-20 • H-21/CH-21 • H-22 • H-23/OH-23 • H-24 • H-25/UH-25 • XH-26 • H-27 • H-28 • H-29 • H-30 • H-31 • H-32 • H-33 • H-34/CH-34 • H-35 • (H-36 not assigned) • H-37/CH-37 • (H-38 not assigned) • XH-39 • H-40 • H-41 • H-42 • H-43/HH-43 • (H-44 and H-45 not assigned) • CH-46/HH-46 • CH-47 • UH-48 • H-49 • QH-50 • XH-51 • HH-52 • CH-53/HH-53/MH-53 • CH-54 • TH-55 • AH-56 • TH-57 • OH-58 • XH-59 • UH-60/SH-60/HH-60 • YUH-61 • XCH-62 • YAH-63 • AH-64 • HH-65 • RAH-66 • TH-67 • MH-68 • (H-69 not assigned) • ARH-70 • VH-71 • UH-72
1962 redesignations
reusing old numbersUSN helicopter designations pre-1962 Helicopter, Anti-submarine SikorskyHelicopter, Crane HCHHelicopter, Observation HillerHOESikorskyHelicopter, Trainer pre-1948 SikorskyHelicopter, Trainer 1948-1962 HillerHTEHelicopter, Transport 1944-1962 Boeing VertolHRHSikorskyHelicopter, Utility pre-1949 HJDHJHSikorskyHJSHelicopter, Utility 1950-1962 HUK • HU2K
Bell:HUMSikorskyCanadian Forces unified aircraft designations post-1968 100-125 126–150 151- Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- United States helicopters 1940–1949
- Military aircraft of the Korean War
- Military helicopters
- United States military utility aircraft 1940–1949
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