Dating from the test program of the Boeing Vertol 107 helicopter, known in a later military configuration as the Ch-46 Sea Knight, this silent film shows demonstrations of the chopper lifting a small vehicle and a radio antenna. It’s unknown if this is the prototype aircraft but it might well be…

In 1956, the Vertol Aircraft Corporation began developing a turbine-powered member of the “flying banana” family pioneered by Frank Piasecki. The result was a new design which was more compact than the previous angular-fuselage type, with a watertight belly to permit ditching and the powerplant installed at the base of the tail pylon.

The new Model 107 prototype with two 877shp Lycoming T53 turbines flew on 12 August 1958. In July of that year, the US Army ordered 10 Model 107s, designated YHC-1A, with the uprated 1065shp General Electric YT58 turbine and a rotor diameter increased by 0.6m. The first YHC-1A flew on 27 August 1959, but in the meantime, the US Army had ordered five YHC-1Bs (Model 114), a scaled-up variant which was better suited to meet its need for a tactical transport helicopter, and consequently the order for the Model 107 was reduced to only three machines. The third of these was later returned to the company, which converted it into the Model 107-11, prototype of the civil version.

The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter powered by twin turboshaft aircraft engines. It was used by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment until its replacement by the MV-22 Osprey. Additional tasks include combat support, search and rescue (SAR), support for forward refueling and rearming points, CASEVAC and Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP).

The Sea Knight was also the U.S. Navy’s standard medium-lift utility helicopter until it was phased out in favor of the MH-60S Knighthawk in the early 2000s. Canada also operated the Sea Knight, designated as CH-113, and operated them in the SAR role until 2004. Other export customers include Japan, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia. The commercial version is the BV 107-II, commonly referred to simply as the “Vertol”.

Piasecki Helicopter was a pioneering developer of tandem-rotor helicopters, with the most famous previous helicopter being the H-21 “Flying Banana”. Piasecki Helicopter became Vertol in 1955 and work began on a new tandem rotor helicopter designated the Vertol Model 107 or V-107 in 1956. The V-107 prototype had two Lycoming T53 turboshaft engines, producing 877 shp (640 kW) each.[2] The first flight of the V-107 took place on 22 April 1958.[3] The V-107 was then put through a flight demonstration tour in the United States and overseas. In June 1958, the U.S. Army awarded a contract to Vertol for ten production aircraft designated “YHC-1A”

The order was later decreased to three, so that the Army could divert funds for the V-114, also a turbine powered tandem, but larger than the V-107.[4] The Army’s three YHC-1As were powered by GE-T-58 engines. The YHC-1As first flew in August 1959, and were followed by an improved commercial/export model, the 107-II During 1960, the U.S. Marine Corps evolved a requirement for a medium-lift, twin-turbine troop/cargo assault helicopter to replace the piston-engined types then in use. That same year Boeing acquired Vertol and renamed the group Boeing Vertol.Following a competition, Boeing Vertol was selected to build its model 107M as the HRB-1, early in 1961. In 1962 the U.S. Air Force ordered 12 XCH-46B Sea Knights with the XH-49A designation, but later cancelled the order due to a delivery delay and opted for the Sikorsky S-61R instead.

Following the Sea Knight’s first flight in August 1962, the designation was changed to CH-46A. In November 1964, introduction of the Marines’ CH-46A and the Navy’s UH-46As began. The UH-46A variant was modified for the vertical replenishment role. The CH-46A was equipped with a pair of T58-GE8-8B turboshaft engines rated at 1,250 shp (930 kW) each and could carry 17 passengers or 4,000 pounds (1,815 kg) of cargo.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com