Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft
Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft(known as VTOL aircraft) debuted in the Korean War primarily in the medevac role. The venerable piston‐powered Bell 47 (H‐13) helicopter provided the U.S. Army with an unprecedented ability to rapidly evacuate wounded personnel for lifesaving treatment. VTOL technology was first used in a significant combat role by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War. This was made possible by the advent of a practical turbine engine, providing excellent horsepower‐to‐weight ratios, coupled with advances in lightweight aluminum honeycomb construction techniques and epoxies that made strong, lightweight airframes possible, and rotor systems vastly improved over the older wooden blades. These technologies culminated in the Bell UH‐1 (Huey), OH‐58 (Kiowa), and AH‐1 (Cobra), the Boeing Vertol CH‐47 (Chinook), the Sikorsky CH‐54 (SkyCrane), and...
[The entire page is 325 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Oxford University Press Titles
